Inflation rate edges up to 0.37 per cent as food prices stay firm
24 Sep 2009
The annual rate of inflation based on the wholesale price index stood at 0.37 per cent (provisional) for the week ended 12 September 2009 against 0.12 per cent (provisional) for the previous week (ended 5 September 2009) as food prices remained firm.
The inflation rate stood at 12.42 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year (ended 13 September 2008). Build-up of inflation in the financial year so far stood at 6.12 per cent against 6.62 per cent in the corresponding period of the previous year. The 52-week average inflation for the week ended 12 September 2009 was 3.22 per cent.
The official wholesale price index for 'all commodities' (base: 1993-94 = 100) for the week under review rose 0.2 per cent to 242.6 (provisional) from 242.0 (provisional) for the previous week.
The index for the `primary articles' group rose 0.2 per cent to 275.3 (provisional) from 274.7 (provisional) for the previous week.
Among primary articles, the index for the 'food articles' group rose 0.1 per cent to 280.3 (provisional) from 279.9 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of fish-inland (11 per cent), mutton (2 per cent) and condiments and spices, maize and wheat (1 per cent each). However, the prices of fish-marine (-8 per cent), arhar (-2 per cent) and fruits and vegetables, bajra and gram (-1 per cent each) declined.
The index for the 'non-food articles' group rose 0.5 per cent to 239.8 (provisional) from 238.7 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of groundnut seed (6 per cent), gingelly seed and fodder (2 per cent each) and raw silk and soyabean (1 per cent each). However, the prices of tobacco (-3 per cent), rape and mustard seed and raw cotton (-2 per cent each) and raw rubber, copra, cotton seed, castor seed and linseed (-1 per cent each) declined.
The index for the `fuel, power, light and lubricants' group rose marginally to 343.5 (provisional) from 343.4 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of furnace oil (1 per cent).