India Whole Sale inflation jumps slightly to reach 3.39% in December

Mumbai: The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly Wholesale Price Index (WPI), stood at 3.39% for the month of December, 2016 (over December, 2015) as compared to 3.15% for the previous month and -1.06% during the corresponding month of the previous year.  Build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 4.28% compared to a build up rate of 0.40% in the corresponding period of the previous year.

The index for ‘Food Articles’ group declined by 2.2 percent to 270.1 from 276.1 for the previous month due to lower price of fruits and vegetables (9%), arhar (6%), masur and urad (5% each), moong (4%),      gram (2%) and poultry chicken (1%).  However, the price of ragi (4%), jowar and wheat (3% each), bajra (2%) and egg, barley, pork, condiments, spices, tea and fish-inland (1% each) moved up.

The index for ‘Food Products’ group declined by 0.2 percent to 193.7 from 194.0 for the previous month due to lower price of tea leaf (blended), coffee powder and gur (5% each), oil cakes (3%), processed prawn (2%) and maida, tea leaf (unblended), sugar, gingelly oil, tea dust (blended), mustard & rapeseed oil, sunflower oil and tea dust (unblended) (1% each). 

However, the price of gram powder (besan) (14%), groundnut oil, copra oil, gola (cattle feed) and wheat flour (atta) (2% each) and ghee, rice bran oil, bakery products, soyabean oil, palm oil and sooji      (rawa) (1% each) moved up.