In February, inflation was still 8.7 percent. This was mainly due to a sharp increase in both food prices by 21.8 percent and energy prices by 19.1 percent. According to preliminary data, inflation for food rose to 22.3 percent in March. Energy costs, on the other hand, only increased by 3.5 percent year-on-year.

Compared to the previous month, according to the statisticians' first estimate, prices rose by 0.8 percent.