WPI inflation reverses 18 months of negative show, up 0.34% in April

India's wholesale price inflation rose for the first time in 18 months, posting an annual gain of 0.34 per cent in April on the back of higher prices of food and manufactured items, official data released today showed.

The annual rate of inflation based on the wholesale price index (WPI) stood at 0.34 per cent in April compared to (-) 0.85 per cent in the previous month and (-) 2.43 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year, provisional figures released by the Central Statistics office (CSO) showed.

Build-up of inflation rate in the financial year so far was 1.37 per cent against a build up rate of 0.17 per cent in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Wholesale price inflation for the `primary articles' group rose 2.1 per cent year-on-year in April.

Among `primary articles' group, wholesale food prices rose 2.0 per cent in April, while the prices of 'non-food articles' group rose by 3.0 per cent and prices of manufactured goods increased 0.8 per cent year on year in April.

Mineral prices rose 0.6 per cent while fuel prices group rose by 1.7 per cent from a year earlier in April. Inflation rate for the 'beverages, tobacco and tobacco products' group rose 2.9 per cent.

Inflation rate for the 'textiles' group rose 0.1 per cent due to higher price of cotton yarn, jute sacking bag and jute sacking cloth.  However, the price of gunny and hessian cloth and manmade fibre declined.

Inflation rate for the 'wood and wood products' group rose 0.6 per cent due to higher price of  plywood and fibre board.

Inflation rate for the 'paper and paper products' group declined by 0.5 per cent due to lower price of corrugated sheet boxes, paper pulp and newsprint

Inflation rate for the 'leather and leather products' group declined by 0.2 per cent due to lower price of leather and leather products.
 
Inflation rate for 'rubber and plastic products' group rose 0.1 per cent due to higher price of rubber products. However, the price of tubes declined.

Inflation rate for the 'chemicals and chemical products' group rose 0.3 per cent due to higher price of turpentine oil, organic manure and washing soap, non-cyclic compound, lacquer and varnishes, antacid and  digestive preparations, basic organic chemicals, adhesive and  gum and explosives. However, the price of ammonium sulphate declined.

Inflation rate for the 'non-metallic mineral products' group rose 0.6 per cent due to higher price of grey cement and slag  cement. However, the price of marbles declined.

Inflation rate for the 'basic metals, alloys and metal products' group rose 0.5 per cent due to higher price of pig iron and ferro manganese, melting scrap, steel structures and GP/GC sheets and HRC, steel - pipes and tubes, sheets, rebars, pipes/tubes/rods/strips, plates, ferro silicon, angles and sponge iron. However, the price of billets declined.

Inflation rate for the 'machinery and machine tools' group rose 0.1 per cent due to higher price of fibre optic cable, plastic machinery and electrical pumps, hydraulic equipment and conductor. However, the price of communication equipments and industrial valves declined.

Inflation rate for the 'transport, equipment and parts' group rose 0.1 per cent due to higher price of carburetors. However, the price of radiator and coolers declined.

The final inflation rate for February 2016 based on the final wholesale price index for 'all commodities' (Base: 2004-05=100) has now been estimated at (-) 0.85 per cent.