Dearer food items push inflation to 3.96 per cent

New Delhi, May 21: The annual rate of inflation, calculated on point-to-point basis, increased to 3.96 per cent for the week ended on May 6, as against 3.59 per cent during the previous week owing to a rise in the prices of fruits and vegetables, sugar, milk, lubricants and aluminium bars and rods.

The inflation rate during the corresponding week of the previous year stood at 5.67 per cent, according to official figures.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for all commodities for the week ended on May 6, rose by 0.4 per cent to 199.7 from 199.0 for the previous week.

The index for the Primary Articles group rose by 0.2 per cent to 195.8 from 195.4 for the previous week.

The index for Food Articles group rose by 0.2 per cent to 198.6 from 198.2 for the previous week due to higher prices of masur and barley (3 per cent each), bajra and jowar (2 per cent each) and fruits and vegetables, gram and milk (1 per cent each).

However, the prices of eggs (9 per cent), poultry chicken (7 per cent), urad (2 per cent) and arhar and wheat (1 per cent each) declined.

The index for Non-Food Articles group rose by 0.2 per cent to 177.0 from 176.6 for the previous week due to higher prices of soyabean (7 per cent) and sunflower and copra (2 per cent each).

However, the prices of raw silk (11 per cent), fodder (4 per cent), safflower (kardi seed) (2 per cent) and raw cotton and niger seed (1 per cent each) declined.

The index for the Fuel, Power, Light and Lubricants rose by 0.9 per cent to 319.7 from 316.8 for the previous week due to higher prices of lubricants (18 per cent), aviation turbine fuel (11 per cent), naptha (9 per cent), furnace oil (4 per cent) and bitumen (3 per cent). The index for Manufactured products group rose by 0.2 per cent to 174.3 from 173.9 for the previous week.

The index for Food Products rose by 0.1 per cent to 178.1 from 178.0 for the previous week due to increase in the prices of sugar (0.35 per cent).

However, the prices of processed tea (9 per cent) and, rape and mustard oil 91 per cent) declined.

The index for Textiles group declined by 0.2 per cent to 130.0 from 130.2 for the previous week due to lower prices of woollen yarn (10 per cent), hessian and sacking bags (2 per cent) and hessian cloth and texturised yarn (1 per cent each) The index for Wood and Wood Products group declined by 3.1 per cent to 201.5 from 207.9 for the previous week due to lower prices of timber planks (5 per cent).

The index for Paper and Paper products rose by 1.2 per cent to 188.0 from 185.8 for the previous week due to higher prices of cream laid woven paper (6 per cent), printing paper white (5 per cent) and map litho paper (4 per cent).

The index for Chemicals and Chemical Products group rose by 0.1 per cent to 192.2 from 192.0 for the previous week due to higher prices of epoxy resins (13 per cent), carbon black (5 per cen) and polystyene (2 per cent).

However, the prices of liquid nitrogen (2 per cent declined.

The index for Non Metallic Mineral Products group declined by 0.7 per cent to 188.3 from 189.7 for the previous week due to lower prices of cement (1 per cent).

The index for Basic Metals Alloys and Metal Products group rose by 1.1 per cent to 221.2 from 218.7 for the previous week due to higher prices of aluminium bars and rods (42 per cent), aluminium ingots (12 per cent) and foundary pig iron and basic pig iron (1 per cent each).

However, the prices of bright bars and barrels (2 per cent each), steel sheets, plates and strips, pipes and tubes and ms bars and rounds (1 per cent each) declined.

The index for Transport Equipment and Parts group rose by 0.1 per cent to 160.2 from 160.1 for the previous week due to higher prices of car chassis (assembled) (1 per cent).

UNI