Consumer price inflation for agricultural and rural labourers lower at 2.89% and 3.16% in September

During September 2021, inflation rate for the two indices increased by 1 point and 2 points, respectively, to stand at 1,067 and 1,076 points, respectively. 

Inflation rate based on the CPI-AL and CPI-RL (Base: 1986-87=100) stood at 6.25 per cent and 6.10 per cent, respectively, during the corresponding month of the previous year.

The major contribution towards the rise in general indices of agricultural labourers and rural labourers in September 2021 came from fuel and light group and clothing, bedding and footwear group, mainly due to the rise in prices of firewood, kerosene oil, shirting cloth cotton (mill), leather shoes/chappal, plastic shoes/chappal etc.

The rise/fall in index varied from state to state. In case of agricultural labourers, it recorded an increase of 1 to 17 points in 16 states and a decrease of 1 to 10 points in 4 states. Karnataka with 1,244 points topped the index table whereas Himachal Pradesh with 856 points stood at the bottom.

In case of rural labourers, it recorded an increase of 1 to 12 points in 16 states and a decrease of 1 to 8 points in 4 states. Karnataka with 1,239 points topped the index table whereas Bihar with 881 points stood at the bottom.

The maximum increase in the consumer price index numbers for agricultural and rural labourers (17 and 12 points, respectively) was reported from Himachal Pradesh mainly due to rise in the prices of pulses, mustard oil, milk, vegetables and fruits, kerosene, shirting cloth cotton (mill), plastic chappal, bus fare etc. On the contrary, the maximum decrease in the consumer price Index numbers for agricultural labourers was experienced by Tamilnadu (10 points) and for rural labourers by Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu (8 points each), mainly due to fall in the prices of rice, jowar, bajra, ragi, tur dal, meat (goat), onion, chillies-green/dry, tamarind, vegetables and fruits etc.