On February 16, it was learned from the Yichang Investigation Team of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that in January, owning to increased consumer demand during the New Year and the Spring Festival holidays, Yichang’s CPI was 3.5% higher than last January, which increased 0.5% year-on-year and also 0.5% month-on-month.

　　Meanwhile, the price of dry and fresh melon and fruits increased 3.3% month-on-month. Among them, the price of fresh melon and fruits increased 4.8%; the prices of strawberries, bananas, pears and apples showed large increase.

　　The prices of pork, mutton and beef were stable while aquatic products prices increased. The pork price was 0.2% lower than last month; the beef price increased 1.6%; the mutton price slightly increased 0.2%; other (rabbit) price increased 6.8%. Around the Spring Festival, the sharp increase of fish consumption contributed to its price increase. The aquatic products prices increased 4% month-on-month. The price of freshwater fish increased 3.9%; shrimps and crabs increased 4.2% and other (kelp) increased 4.2%.

　　A large number of people returned to Yichang during the Spring Festival, which greatly contributed to the 5.1% month-on-month increase of transportation price. Among them, airplane ticket price increased 37.4% month-on-month; short-distance coach price increased 12.8%; car-wash increased 9.7%. The price of tourist attraction ticket also increased. For example, the price of the Three Visitors Cave increased to 78 Yuan from 65 Yuan, which caused a month-on-month increase of 9.5% of the tourist attraction ticket price. (Reporter Pei Shujing, correspondent Zou Jiao)