The export value increased by 14.4 percent to US$123.719 million in December 2023 from US$108.104 million in December 2022. The volume of exports totaled to 118.708 million kilograms in December 2023 from 91.238 million kilograms the previous year. The value of imports went up by 2.3 percent to US$81.085 million in December 2023 from US$79.259 million in December 2022. Imports volume was summed up to 168.476 million kilograms in December 2023 from 104.263 million kilograms in December 2022.

The export value decreased by 16.8 percent to US$88.831 million in November 2023 from US$106.784 million in November 2022. The volume of exports added up to 81.244 million kilograms in November 2023 from 99.070 million kilograms the previous year. The value of imports went down by 21.8 percent to US$56.677 million in November 2023 from US$72.497 million in November 2022. Imports volume was summed up to 177.319 million kilograms in November 2023 from 122.917 million kilograms in November 2022.

The inflation rate or the year-on-year change on the prices of goods and services commonly purchased by people in the province of Sultan Kudarat slow down to 0.9 percent in November 2024 compared to 3.2 percent recorded in October 2024. This brings the provincial average inflation from January to November 2024 at 4.1 percent.

In 2023, the province’s employment rate was estimated at 98.2 percent. This was higher than the estimated employment rate of 97.3 percent in 2022 and in 2021 at 95.9 percent.

In 2023, General Santos City’s employment rate was estimated at 95.2 percent. This was higher than the estimated employment rate of 93.5 percent in 2022 and in 2021 at 90.0 percent.

The city’s inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households declined to 1.0 percent in December 2024 from 1.4 percent in November 2024. In December 2023, inflation rate was higher at 5.1 percent.

The province’s inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households posted a decline of 0.9 percent in December 2024 from 0.3 percent in November 2024. In December 2023, inflation rate was higher at 6.4 percent.

The headline inflation in Sarangani Province posted a decline of 0.3 percent in December 2024 from 0.5 percent in November 2024. In December 2023, the inflation rate was higher at 5.1 percent.

The General Santos City’s headline inflation eased to 1.1 percent in December 2024 from 1.2 percent in November 2024. In December 2023, the inflation rate was higher at 3.9 percent.