The Hindu Business Line : Costlier primary articles push inflation rate up over 6%

New Delhi April 20 The annual wholesale price index-based inflation rose 6.09 per cent during the week ended April 7, higher than the previous week's annual rise of 5.74 per cent.

The surge in the year-on-year inflation rate was mainly on account of an increase in prices of items coming under the Primary Articles' group, especially food articles, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry here on Friday.

Vegetables, fruits rise

The annual inflation rate was 3.81 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year.

The Primary Articles' group was up 12.14 per cent during the latest reported week, up from 10.72 per cent during the previous week, mainly with prices of fruits and vegetables showing a rising trend.

During the latest reported week, prices of barley rose by 5 per cent, masur by 3 per cent and bajra, condiments and spices and urad by 1 per cent each.

However, prices of poultry chicken fell by 6 per cent and gram and fish-marine by 2 per cent each, according to the data.

The Fuel, Power, Light and Lubricants' group was up 1.17 per cent during the latest reported week, from 1.04 per cent during the previous week.

This was the second consecutive week of a marginal rise in inflation in the fuel group, after having fallen to an eight-year low of 1.01 per cent on March 24.

Manufactured products

The Manufactured Products' group was up 5.76 per cent during the latest reported week, marginally lower than the previous week's increase of 5.77 per cent.

Prices of food products and imported edible oil rose by 4 per cent, rice bran oil by 3 per cent, oil cakes and gingelly oil by 2 per cent and rape and mustard oil by 1 per cent each, the data said.

However, sunflower oil was cheaper by 5 per cent, bran and soyabean oil by 3 per cent each, salt by 2 per cent and groundnut oil, atta, gur and hydrogenated vanaspati by 1 per cent each.

Iron & steel dearer

Prices of other iron, steel and steel sheets, plates, strips and bopp film rose by 4 per cent each, while those of hessian cloth fell by 5 per cent, it said.

The Wholesale Price Index of all commodities increased to 210.8 from 210 the previous week. Final inflation for the week ended February 10 has been revised to 6.52 per cent compared to 6.63 per cent as estimated provisionally, with the final wholesale prices index figures being revised to 209 points for the week, against the provisional estimate of 209.2 points.