Inflation in Ukraine in April 2017 fell to 0.9% from 1.8% in March, 1% in February and 1.1% in January, the State Statistics Service of Ukraine has said.

According to its data, in annual terms the growth in consumer prices in April also slowed down to 12.2% from 15.1% in March, 14.2% in February and 12.6% in January.

Since the beginning of this year inflation stood at 4.9%, the service said.

The authority reported that food and non-alcoholic drinks prices in April grew by 1.2%. Prices of vegetable, fruit, meat, meat products, salo (fat), sugar, bread and rice rose by 7.6%-1%. Prices of eggs dropped by 18.3%, prices of buckwheat and milk decreased by 2% and 0.6%.

Prices for alcoholic drinks and tobacco products increased by 1.3%, in particular for tobacco goods by 2.4%, alcoholic beverages by 0.7%.

Prices (tariffs) for housing, water, electricity, gas supply and other types of fuel grew by 0.5% mainly due to the increase of the tariffs for house maintenance by 5%, water supply – by 3% and sewage – by 2.6%.

Transportation prices in general grew by 1.4% mainly due to the increase in the road transport fares by 2.7% and the price of fuel and lubricants by 1.2%.

Growth of 2.7% in the communications sphere is linked to the increase in the cost of postal services by 42.4% and mobile communications services by 4.1%.

As reported, the Ukrainian government expects inflation in 2017 to slow down to 8.1%. The National Bank of Ukraine, which also initially forecasted it at 8%, in January deteriorated its forecast to 9.1%.

"Inflation in annual terms will remain high during the first three quarters due to the effect of the comparison base. It will return to a single-digit figure in the fourth quarter of 2017," the NBU said on March 2.