Food inflation stays negative for third straight week

19 Jan 2012 Evaluate

India’s weekly food inflation, measured by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), continued to languish in the negative terrain for the third straight week for the week ended January 7, 2012 but rose to -0.42% from its previous levels of 2.90% for the week ended December 31. The rise in inflation can largely be attributed to rising demand for primary articles including both food and non-food items.

The sharp slump in the rate of price rise of food items in last two months is evident because of the high statistical base of the last year. The Indian central bank is scheduled to meet for its third quarterly monetary policy review on January 24 and it is widely expected that the Reserve Bank may refrain from its aggressive monetary tightening measures as the WPI inflation has primarily been on a declining trend.

According to the data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the index for ‘Food Articles’ group rose by 0.1% to 190.9 from 190.8 for the previous week due to higher prices of jowar and maize (3% each), bajra, masur and poultry chicken (2% each) and barely, arhar, moong and fish-marine (1% each).  However, the prices of tea (2%) and egg and condiment & spices (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Non-Food Articles’ group rose by 0.9% to 182.6 from 181 for the previous week due to higher prices of gaur seed (4%), flowers, rape & mustard seed, soyabean and niger seed (3% each), raw cotton (2%) and raw jute and linseed (1% each).  However, the prices of raw rubber (4%), sunflower (3%) and castor seed (1%) declined.

As a result, the index for ‘Primary Articles’, which accounts for 20.12% of the WPI, rose by 0.3% for the week ended January 7 to 199.1 from 196.6 for the previous week. The annual rate of inflation, calculated on point to point basis, stood at 2.47% for the period under consideration as compared to 0.51% for the previous week.

Meanwhile, the index for Fuel & Power group, which carries a weightage of 14.91% in WPI remained unchanged at its previous closing levels of 172.7 in the week while annual rate of inflation calculated on point to point basis too stood unchanged at 14.45% in the first week of the year 2012.

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