The Hindu Business Line : Costlier food items push up inflation rate to 3.21%

Indicators
The Food Articles Group witnessed an increase of 0.5%
The Non-Food Articles’ group gained 0.3%
Among food products, cotton seed oil
and oil cakes ruled higher

Our Bureau

Chennai, Nov. 30 A higher price for food articles such as bajra, jowar, nigerseed and soyabean pushed the annual wholesale price index-based inflation rate to 3.21 per cent for the week ended November 17 against 3.01 per cent the previous week.

The Wholesale Price Index for All Commodities during the period increased 0.1 per cent to 215.7 from 215.4, a press release from the Office of Economic Advisor in the Commerce Ministry.

Bajra dearer

The Primary Articles Index, a major group, was up 0.4 per cent to 224.3. In this, the Food Articles Group witnessed an increase of 0.5 per cent to 224.2 on higher prices of bajra (6 per cent), jowar and fish-marine (2 per cent each) and fruits & vegetables, condiments & spices, arhar and pork (1 per cent each). On the other hand, prices declined for ragi, maize, urad and moong (2 per cent each) and gram (1 per cent).

The Non-Food Articles’ group gained 0.3 per cent to 208.6 as niger seed (3 per cent), soyabean (2 per cent) and rape & mustard seed, copra, groundnut seed and linseed (1 per cent each) ruled higher. However, prices declined for raw silk (2 per cent). The Fuel, Power, Light and Lubricants Index rose 0.1 per cent to 326.1 with furnace oil prices ruling higher by 2 per cent.

Manufactured products

The Manufactured Products Index was unchanged at 188.1 per cent with the Food Products group rising 0.1 per cent to 188.1 and the Textiles group slipping by 0.2 per cent. Among food products, cotton seed oil and oil cakes ruled higher by one per cent each.

In the textiles group, prices dropped for texturised yarn (5 per cent). Prices of hessian and sacking bags moved up two per cent.

The index for ‘Chemicals & Chemical Products’ group rose marginally to 204.2 from 204.1 due to higher prices of PVC resins (6 per cent) and benzene (4 per cent). But prices of purified terephthalic acid declined 3 per cent.

Base metals

The index for Base Metals Alloys and Metal Products group declined by 0.1 per cent to 247.4 on lower prices of lead ingots and zinc ingots (3 per cent each) and other iron steel, basic pig iron and foundry pig iron (1 per cent each). However, prices of pipes and tubes (1 per cent) moved up.

Meanwhile, for the week ended September 22, the final wholesale price index for all commodities stood at 215.2, while the annual rate of inflation based on final index stood at 3.51 per cent against 3.42 per cent.