Food Inflation moderates to 20 month low level of 7.33%

28 Jul 2011 Evaluate

The trend of moderation in India’s food inflation has continued for yet another week, country’s food inflation, measured by the wholesale price index (WPI), declined to its 20 month low level at 7.33 % for the week ended July 16 from 7.58% in last week. This fall in food inflation was contributed by moderation in prices of pulses, milk, Fruits and Egg, Meat & Fish.

According to data released by ministry of commerce and industry, the index for 'Food Articles' group, which accounts for 14.34% of WPI, rose by 0.8 % to 193.3 (Provisional) from 191.7  (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of fish-inland, fruits & vegetables and fish-marine (2% each) and bajra, gram, condiments & spices, rice and tea (1% each).  However, the prices of jowar (4%), ragi and poultry chicken (2% each) and masur, arhar and egg (1% each) declined.

On the other hand, the index for 'Non-Food Articles' group, which accounts  for 4.26% of WPI, rose by 0.3 % to 176.4 (Provisional) from 175.9  (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of flowers (16%), groundnut seed (10%), gaur seed (3%) and rape & mustard seed and castor seed (1% each).  However, the prices of raw cotton (6%), raw silk (3%), copra and raw rubber (2% each) and gingelly seed, fodder and linseed (1% each) declined.

The index for 'Minerals' group declined by 3.7 % to 303.0 (Provisional) from 314.7 (Provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of zinc concentrate (33%), barytes and limestone (12% each), iron ore (10%), steatite (8%) and chromite (2%).  However, the prices of bauxite (11%) and sillimanite (5%) moved up.

As on whole, the index for Primary Articles group, which account for 20.12% WPI, rose by 0.2 % to 198.0 (Provisional) from 197.7 (Provisional) for the previous week. The annual rate of inflation, calculated on point to point basis, stood at 10.49 % (Provisional) for the week ended 16 July as compared to 11.13 % (Provisional) for the previous week 9 July.

Meanwhile, the Index for Fuel and power group, which account for 14.91% of WPI, remained unchanged at their previous week’s level of 165.6 (Provisional). The annual rate of inflation, calculated on point to point basis, stood at 12.12% (Provisional) for the week ended 16 July as compared to 11.89% (Provisional) for the previous week 9 July.

From mid June, food inflation has been moderating, and this falling trend in country’s food inflation is likely to give some relief to the government and Reserve Bank of India (RBI), who are struggling to bring inflation back to comfort zone. Recently, RBI in its quarterly policy review, increased its key policy rates by 50 basis points, this was 11th hike in row since March 2010. It has also revised India’s overall inflation projection for current fiscal to 7 % from 6% made earlier.

© 2025 The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. MoneyWorks4Me ® is a registered trademark of The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd.

×