After a 10.4% increase in the fourth quarter of 2021, the overall price index of commodities exported by CEMAC rose by 12.2% in the first quarter of 2022 under the effect of a general increase in prices. price of energy and non-energy products, indicates a report by the Bank of Central African States (BEAC). “The war between Russia and Ukraine has caused disruptions in supply circuits, causing an increase in the main basic products”, it is explained.
In detail, the prices of energy products rose by 18.2% during the first quarter of 2022, due to an increase in the price of a barrel of oil (23.4%) and natural gas (3.0% ) in a context of trade disruption, following the war that broke out in February 2022, thus blocking several major supply circuits. The price per barrel went from 78.3 dollars in the fourth quarter of 2021 to 96.6 dollars in the following quarter, while the price of natural gas averaged $17.6/mmbtu at the end of the quarter following $17.1/mmbtu at the end of the previous quarter.
For its part, the price index excluding energy products rose by 1.7%, from 127.7 in the 4th quarter of 2021 to 129.9 in the following quarter, mainly due to the rise in metals and minerals prices (+4 .6%) and those of – agricultural products (+1.9%).
For its part, the metals and minerals price index rose by 4.6% between the last two quarters, driven mainly by an increase in iron and aluminum prices, respectively by 27.2% and 17.9%. Gold and manganese prices increased by 4.3% and 4.5% respectively, while diamond prices remained unchanged.
