RABAT, April 22 (Reuters) - Morocco's annual consumer price inflation rose to 1.8 percent in March from 0.9 percent in February, due to higher food prices, the High Planning Authority said on Friday.

Annual food inflation jumped to 3.6 percent from 1.1 percent the previous month. Non-food price inflation eased to 0.4 percent.

Transport costs fell 2.1 percent, but hotels and restaurants were 2.2 percent more expensive, the agency said without elaborating.

On a month-on-month basis, the consumer price index rose to 1 percent in March, up from 0.2 percent in February as food price inflation rose 2 percent.

(Reporting By Aziz El Yaakoubi; Editing by Hugh Lawson) ((aziz.elyaakoubi@thomsonreuters.com; +212623934595)(;))

Keywords: MOROCCO INFLATION/