Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Statistics Indonesia (BPS) recorded inflation of 0.03 percent in August 2021 due to an increase in the commodity prices and the momentum of the new school year.

"In August 2021, inflation was recorded at 0.03 percent, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of 106.57," Deputy for Distribution Statistics and Services at BPS Setianto noted during a press conference in Jakarta, Wednesday.

Setianto remarked that factors driving inflation comprised rising cooking oil prices and the momentum of the new school year, so elementary, junior high, and college tuition fees also increased, with their respective share of 0.02 percent.

Several other commodities, such as tomatoes, fresh fish, papaya, cigarettes, house rent, and high school fees, also recorded an increase of 0.01 percent respectively.

Related news: Bank Indonesia sees inflation at 0.01% in August

In addition, several commodities that contributed to deflation comprised cayenne pepper, with a sizeable share of minus 0.05 percent.

Several other commodities, such as chicken meat, red chilies, spinach, beans, long beans, kangkung (water spinach), and green mustard, as well as air transportation fares also contributed to deflation.

Inflation for the calendar year from January to August was recorded at 0.84 percent and year-on-year (yoy) at 1.59 percent.

Of the CPI in 90 cities, 34 cities contributed to inflation and 56 cities experienced deflation in August 2021.

For the 34 cities that experienced inflation, the highest was recorded in Kendari, at 0.62 percent, due to an increase in commodity prices for spinach and fish, such as mackerel, scad fish, benggol fish, selar fish, tude fish, and anchovies.

Meanwhile, of the 56 cities that experienced deflation, the highest occurred in Sorong at minus 1.04 percent, with mackerel, air transportation, cayenne pepper, kangkung (water spinach), and green mustard being major contributors.

Related news: Inflation maintained low in nearly all Indonesian regions: BI
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Translator: Astrid F, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Suharto
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