A Basic Consumer Price Index for Cambodia 1993–2009

This paper calculates basic consumer price indices for Cambodia
for 1993-2009, using data gathered in provincial markets, using the Phnom Penh
Consumer Price Index base periods of 1994, 2000 and 2006 of the Cambodian
National Institute of Statistics (NIS). The key output of the paper is a
National Basic Consumer Price Index for Cambodia.The paper began as a review of the basic price indices calculated
by CDRI using consumer price data collected since 1993 for 12 provincial urban
and rural markets. The original basic price indices had a number of
shortcomings; this paper corrects those shortcomings and extends the analysis
to calculate a Provincial Basic Consumer Price Index for Cambodia for 1993-2009.  Data from the NIS Consumer
Price Index for Phnom Penh is used to calculate a Basic Consumer Price Index
for Phnom Penh. This latter index is combined with the Provincial Basic Price
Index, using appropriate population weights, to calculate a National Basic
Consumer Price Index, a measure of prices paid by the poor for basic consumer
items. The text of the paper concludes with a discussion of price movements
over the period 1993-2009.

The appendices tabulate basic consumer price indices for nine
provincial urban markets, three provincial rural markets and for Phnom Penh for
1993–2000, 1999–2007 and 2005–2009, together with urban (excluding Phnom Penh),
rural, provincial and national basic consumer price indices for the same
periods. Also tabulated are linked basic price indices, using a 2006 base, for
the same markets and for the urban, rural, provincial and national price
indices for 1993–2009.