Food inflation eased sharply to 6.6 per cent in the week to November 26 from the previous week’s annual rise of 8 per cent, helped by a dip in items such as vegetables, milk and poultry items.

The decline in the Wholesale Price Index-based annual food inflation reading for the fifth consecutive week came as a respite to the Government struggling to grapple with a string of recent bad tidings.

Non-food inflation too dipped to 1.37 per cent from over 2 per cent, while fuel inflation was steady, data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry on Thursday showed.

PTI reports: Onions became cheaper by 39.20 per cent year-on-year during the week under review, while potato prices were down 15.75 per cent. Prices of wheat also fell 4.70 per cent.

Overall, vegetables became cheaper by 1.25 per cent, a big relief after double-digit inflation in vegetable prices during the months of September and October.

However, other food products grew more expensive on an annual basis, led by protein-based items.

Pulses turned 13 per cent costlier during the week under review.

Fruits also became 10.72 per cent more expensive on an annual basis, while cereal prices were up 1.68 per cent.

Inflation in the overall primary articles category stood at 6.92 per cent during the week ended November 26, against 7.74 per cent in the previous week. Primary articles have over 20 per cent weight in the wholesale price index.

Inflation in the non-food segment, which includes fibres, oilseeds and minerals, was recorded at 1.37 per cent during the week under review, against 2.14 per cent in the week ended November 19.

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