Changzhou’s consumer price index (CPI) in July rose 2.8 percent annually and 0.7 percent monthly, according to the Municipal Bureau of Statistics.

On an annual basis, prices of transportation and communications services were up 5.8 percent, while food, drink and tobacco posted a 3.4 percent increase.

The education, culture and entertainment index posted a 2 percent annual increase, while apparel prices also rose with a 1.4 percent increase from a year ago.

On a monthly basis, food prices rose 4.5 percent, of which vegetables surged 10.9 percent and pork soared 26.3 percent. The jump in the indexes of edible animal oil and other meat and by-products put the monthly increase to 26.7 and 12.6 percent, respectively.