são paulobrazils inflation accelerated in march from february and from a year earlier as the russian invasion of ukraine sent food and fuel prices higher consumer prices increased 162 in march the brazilian institute of geography and statistics or ibge said friday prices rose 1130 from a year earlier the fastest pace since 2003 in february prices rose 101 and increased 1054 from a year earlier the war in ukraine pushed the price of commodities including wheat and oil higher putting pressure on prices for certain foods and for fuels brazilian oil company petróleo brasileiro sa or petrobras raised the price of gasoline by 19 in early march and increased the price of diesel 25 the war and the impact on the price of wheat will have a strong impact on the price of bread and pasta for example said mauricio nakahodo senior economist at banco mufg brasil the cost of gasoline increased 695 in brazil in march from february and the price of diesel fuel rose 1365 in the same period food prices increased 242 in march after rising 128 in february with the most common type of bread costing 297 more in the month in coming months lower rates for electricity should help slow the pace of inflation according to mr nakahodo scant rain over the past two years had drained the reservoirs feeding brazils hydroelectric plants forcing power companies to make use of more costly fuelfired generating plants and passing the higher cost on to consumers with more rain in recent months reservoirs have risen again and the lower cost will also be passed on