Inflation at 4.32 pc due to costly food articles

New Delhi, May 28: The annual rate of inflation rose to 4.32 per cent for the week ended May 13, as against 3.96 per cent during the previous week due to an increase in prices of vegetables, pulses, and manufactured products.

The inflation rate, calculated on point-to-point basis, stood at 5.60 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year, according to official figures released here today.

Earlier this week, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said the overall inflation situation was under control and exuded confidence that the government would be able to keep the inflation rate between four and five per cent for this fiscal.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for all commodities for the week ended May 13, rose by 0.4 per cent to 200.5 from 199.7 for the previous week.

The index for the Primary Articles group rose by 0.8 per cent to 197.3 from 195.8 for the previous week.

The index for Food Articles group rose by 1.2 per cent to 201.0 from 198.6 for the previous week due to higher prices of moong (7 per cent), fruits and vegetables (3 per cent), gram, urad, and ragi (2 per cent each) and masur, wheat, milk, mutton, barley and arhar (1 per cent each).

However, the prices of eggs (1 per cent) declined.

The index for Non-Food Articles group declined by 0.3 per cent to 176.4 from 177.0 for the previous week due to lower prices of logs and timber (5 per cent), castor seed (4 per cent) and raw cotton and copra (1 per cent each).

However, the prices of linseed, rape and mustard seed, groundnut seed and tobacco (1 per cent each) moved up.

The index for the Fuel, Power, Light and Lubricants group rose marginally to 319.8 from 319.7 for the previous week due to higher prices of lubricants (2 per cent). The index for Manufactured Products group rose by 0.4 per cent to 175.0 from 174.3 for the previous week. The index for Food Products declined by 0.1 per cent to 178.0 from 178.1 for the previous week due to lower prices of khandsari (1 per cent).

However, the prices of gur (2 per cent) and rice bran oil (1 per cent) moved up.

The index for Textiles group rose by 2.6 per cent to 133.4 from 130.0 for the previous week due to higher prices of synthetic yarn (38 per cent), cotton yarn-cones (2 per cent) and hessian and sacking bags, cotton yarn-hanks and other cotton yarn (1 per cent each).

However, the prices of polyster staple fibre (3 per cent) and tyre cord fabric (2 per cent) declined.

The index for Paper and Paper products rose by 0.1 per cent to 188.2 from 188.0 for the previous week due to higher prices of map litho paper (1 per cent).

The index for Chemicals and Chemical Products group rose by 0.2 per cent to 192.5 from 192.2 for the previous week due to higher prices of calcium ammonium nitrate n-content (8 per cent) and phenol (7 per cent).

However, the prices of bopp film (1 per cent) declined.

The index for Non-Metallic Mineral Products group rose by 0.2 per cent to 188.6 from 188.3 for the previous week due to higher prices of buliding bricks (4 per cent) and ceramic tiles (3 per cent).

The index for Basic Metals Alloys and Metal Products group rose marginally to 221.3 from 221.2 for the previous week due to higher prices of zinc ingots (6 per cent) and lead ingots (2 per cent).

The index for Machinery and Machinery Tools group rose by 0.5 per cent to 150.6 from 149.9 fro the previous week due to higher prices of mono block pumps (56 per cent), power driven pumps (7 per cent) and electric motors (3 per cent).

UNI