Inflation eased for a third month since August, boosted by a fall in prices of most food crops and related items.

Data released by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics at the weekend showed inflation fell to 2.9 percent in October from 3 percent in September.

Food accounts for the largest percentage of household spending, especially in low-income countries such as Uganda, and lower inflation means households spend less on goods and services.

Over the weekend, Ubos noted that inflation of food crops and related items fell to -5.3% in October, compared to 4.1% in September.

Mr Samuel Echoku, Ubos Head of Macroeconomic Statistics, said the drop in food crop prices was mainly due to a drop in prices of cooking bananas, which fell by -8% from 4.9%.

In addition, he said, tomato prices fell -14.2% from -4.1%, while beans fell -4.4% from -2.5%. However, Irish potato prices rose 11.8% from 26% in September.

Mr Echoku also noted that inflation in energy fuels and utilities eased to 3.3% in October from 4.5% due to lower liquefied gas prices, which fell by -4.2% from 1, 5%

Water charges fell 3.7 percent in October from 4.4 percent.

Ubos also indicated that solid fuel prices rose, however, by 15.5 percent from 14.3 percent, mainly due to charcoal prices rising 17 percent from 13.7 percent , but firewood prices fell 13.3 percent from 16.6 percent.

High-income Kampala recorded the highest inflation at 4.4%, up from 4%, followed by Mbarara, whose inflation rose to 4.2% from 3.9% in September, while in Masaka inflation fell to 3.1% from 3.5%.

In Arua, inflation fell to 2.9 from 3.1, while in Jinja it fell to 2.1 percent from 2.8, Fortportal (1.6 percent and in Gulu to 1.1 from percent from 2.1 percent).