Hong Kong will increase its postage rates next month, with the cost of local letters weighing 30 grams or less increasing by 10 per cent to HK$2.20 (28 US cents).

Hongkong Post announced on Wednesday that it would adjust principal postage rates starting from September 26, to offset rising operating costs.

Aside from rates of local letters going up, the cost of letters by airmail weighing 20 grams or less to mainland China and Taiwan will increase from HK$3.40 to HK$3.70, while the price of those to other places will be adjusted from HK$3.70-HK$5 to HK$4-HK$5.50.

The General Post Office in Central. A Hongkong Post spokesman has said the increases are to cover rising operation costs.

Meanwhile, the cost of letters by surface mail weighing 20 grams or less to the mainland, Macau and Taiwan will increase from HK$2.60 to HK$2.80, while that of those to other places will rise from HK$3.20-HK$4.80 to HK$3.50-HK$5.30.

Overall, the postage increases for 80 per cent of local mail will be not more than 30 HK cents, while those for 80 per cent and 90 per cent respectively of airmail and surface mail will be not more than 50 HK cents, according to Hongkong Post.

“There is a need to periodically adjust postage rates in order to offset escalating operating costs, in particular increases in major cost components such as conveyance costs and terminal dues payments,” a spokesman said.

He said the current postage adjustments were broadly in line with the cumulative inflation since the last adjustments in January 2018.

“The expected impacts on both the general public and the commercial sectors are considered to be mild,” the spokesman said.

Booming electronic communication and severe market competition had affected the business of Hongkong Post, he added.

“With the development of information technology, electronic communication is replacing traditional correspondence while market competition from commercial delivery services is severe. These pose great challenges to Hongkong Post’s business,” he said.