DAR ES SALAAM, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Tanzanian inflation resumed its downward trend in January after a brief pause the previous month, due mainly to a slower rate of increase in commodity prices, official data showed on Friday.

Consumer prices rose 1.3 percent in the first month of 2013 compared with 1.9 percent in December, easing the year-on-year rate to 10.9 percent. The headline rate was unchanged at 12.1 percent in December, ending an 11-month run of falling inflation.

Tanzania's central bank has been intervening in markets to fight a depreciation in the country's shilling, which, if sustained, could pose upside inflationary risks.

Tanzania will tap a credit line with the International Monetary Fund to boost investor confidence in the African nation, whose currency has come under pressure in recent weeks, the fund said this week.

'The food and non-alcoholic beverage items inflation rate decreased to 11.9 percent in January from 13.1 percent in December,' the National Bureau of Statistics said.

The increase in energy prices slowed to 17.4 percent from 17.8 in December, it said.

(Reporting by Fumbuka Ng'wanakilala; Editing by Richard Lough) Keywords: TANZANIA INFLATION/

(Email: nairobi.newsroom@reuters.com)(Tel: +254 20 222 4717)(Reuters Messaging: richard.lough.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)

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