Higher prices of food items push inflation to 5.44 pc

New Delhi, July 2: Continuing its upward trend, the annual rate of inflation moved further to 5.44 per cent for the week ended June 17, as against 5.24 per cent during the previous week due to higher prices of food articles like pulses, fruits and vegetables and minerals.

The inflation rate, calculated on point-to-point basis, stood at 4.10 per cent during the corresponding week of the previous year, according to official figures released here.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for all commodities for the week ended June 17, rose by 0.2 per cent to 203.4 from 203.0 for the previous week.

Concerned over the Wholesale prices-based inflation rate touching a one-year high, the government yesterday said it was vigilant and open to take more policy measures to curb the price rise.

It has already allowed duty-free imports of pulses and sugar, while drastically decreasing customs duty on wheat imports to 5 per cent from 50 per cent.

The index for the Primary Articles group rose by 1.2 per cent to 205.2 from 202.7 for the previous week.

The index for Food Articles group rose by 0.8 per cent to 208.7 from 207.0 for the previous week due to higher prices of urad (4 per cent), fish-marine and eggs (3 per cent each), fruits and vegetables (2 per cent) and barley, gram, ragi and milk (1 per cent each).

However, the prices of bajra (2 per cent) and condiments and spices (1 per cent) declined.

The index for Non-Food Articles group rose by 1.1 per cent to 181.5 from 179.6 for the previous week due to higher prices of fodder (8 per cent), raw silk (6 per cent), raw cotton (4 per cent), niger seed, gingelly seed and groundnut seed (2 per cent each) and castor seed( 1 per cent).

However, the prices of sunflower and raw jute (1 per cent) declined.

The index for Minerals group rose by 9.6 per cent to 392.2 from 357.7 for the previous week due to higher prices of fire clay (53 per cent), iron ore (12 per cent) and magnesite (2 per cent). However, the prices of steatite (10 per cent), vermiculite (5 per cent) and kaolin (china clay) ( 2 per cent) declined. The index for Fuel, Power, Light and Lubricants rose by 0.1 per cent to 326.4 from to 326.0 for the previous week due to higher prices of naphtha (3 per cent) and bitumen (1 per cent).

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

The index for Manufactured Products group rose by 0.1 per cent to 175.4 from 175.6 for the previous week.

The index for Food Products rose by 0.1 per cent to 179.1 from 178.9 for the previous week due to higher prices of ghee, oil cakes, khandsari, coconut oil and rice bran oil (1 per cent each).

The index for Textiles group declined by 1.9 per cent to 130.8 from 133.4 for the previous week due to lower prices of cotton yarn -hanks and cotton yarn-cones (5 per cent each), other cotton yarns (2 per cent) and hessian cloth and hessian and sacking bags (1 per cent).

However, the prices of polyster staple fibre (2 per cent) moved up.

The index for Rubber and Plastic Products group rose by 1.6 per cent to 144.5 from 142.2 for the previous week due to higher prices of giant tyres (6 per cent) and motor tyres (3 per cent).

The index for Chemicals and Chemical Products group rose by 0.1 per cent to 193.2 from 193.1 for the previous week due to higher prices of costic soda ( sodium hydroxide) (1 per cent).

The index for Non Metallic Mineral Products rose by 0.3 per cent to 189.3 from 188.7 for the previous week due to marginal increase in the prices of cement.

The index for Basic Metal Alloys and Metal Products group declined by 0.1 per cent to 222.2 from 222.5 for the previous week due to lower prices of zinc ( 6 per cent), other iron steel and zinc ingots (5 per cent each) and ms bars and rounds (1 per cent).

However, the prices of bolts and nuts (2 per cent) and foundary pig iron and basic pig iron (1 per cent each) moved up.

The index for Machinery and Machine Tools group rose by 0.2 per cent to 151.7 from 151.4 for the previous week due to higher prices of batteries (11 per cent) and switch gears ( 1 per cent).

UNI