Inflation rises to 4.77 pc due to food, mineral price

New Delhi, Oct 8: The annual rate of inflation rose to 4.77 per cent for the week ended September 23, after keeping at a low for the past few weeks, as against 4.56 per cent in the previous week, on account of higher food and manufacturerd product and mineral prices.

The inflation rate calculated on point-to-point basis, stood at 4.34 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 September 23, 2006, rose by 0.1 per cent to 206.6 from 206.3 the previous week.

The index for the Primary Articles group rose by 0.6 per cent to 212.3 from 211.1 for the previous week.

The index for Food Articles group rose by 0.4 per cent to 215.1 from 214.2 for the previous week due to higher prices of urad (7 per cent), gram and mutton (6 per cent each), moong (5 per cent), condiments and spices and ragi (2 per cent each) and wheat, masur, milk, and fish-inland (1 per cent each).

However, the prices of fish-marine (6 per cent), bajra (4 per cent), arhar (3 per cent), maize (2 per cent), barley and fruits and vegetables (1 per cent each) declined.

The index for Non-Food Articles group rose by 0.4 per cent to 188.4 from 187.7 for the previous week due to higher prices of gingelly seed (9 per cent), castor seed (6 per cent) and rape and mustard seed, copra and tobacco (1 per cent each).

However, the prices of raw silk (2 per cent) declined.

The index for Minerals group rose by 4.7 per cent to 426.2 from 407.1 for the previous week due to higher prices of felspar (17 per cent), fire clay (12 per cent) and iron ore (6 per cent).

However, the prices of barites (15 per cent), steatite (12 per cent), magnesite (6 per cent), kaolin (china clay) (3 per cent) and manganese ore (2 per cent) declined.

The index for the Fuel, Power, Light and Lubricants group remained unchanged at its previous week's level of 324.9.

The index for Manufactured Products group rose by 0.1 per cent to 178.3 from 178.1 for the previous week. The index for Food Products group declined by 0.1 per cent to 181.7 from 181.9 for the previous week due to lower prices of khandasari and imported edible oil (2 per cent each) and gingelly oil, oil cakes, rice bran oil and ghee (1 per cent each).

However, the prices of gur (6 per cent), sooji (rawa) (3 per cent), maida (2 per cent), and atta (1 per cent) moved up.

The index for Textiles group rose by 0.6 per cent to 133.7 from 132.9 for the previous week due to higher prices of cotton yarn-'hanks' (3 per cent), other cotton yarn (2 per cent) and nylon filament yarn, hessian and sacking bags and hessian cloth (1 per cent each).

The index for Rubber and Plastic Products group rose by 0.2 per cent to 149.7 from 149.4 for the previous week due to higher prices of cycle tyres (4 per cent).

The index for Chemicals and Chemical Products group rose by 0.1 per cent to 193.0 from 192.8 for the previous week due to higher prices of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and acids (all kinds) (1 per cent each).

The index for Non-Metallic Minerals Products group rose by 0.3 per cent to 189.8 from 189.2 for the previous week due to rise in prices of cement.

The index for Basic Metal Alloys and Metal Products group rose by 0.4 per cent to 233.9 from 233.0 for the previous week due to higher prices of brass sheets and strips (27 per cent), alloy stainless steel (22 per cent), other aluminium material (14 per cent), nickel alloy (12 per cent), aluminium sheets and strips (9 per cent), alloy steel casting (6 per cent) and lead ingots (2 per cent).

However, the prices of zinc (6 per cent), aluminium bars and rods (4 per cent) and aluminium ingots (1 per cent) declined.

The index for Machinery and Machine Tools group declined by 0.1 per cent to 152.5 from 152.7 for the previous week due to lower prices of ring spinning and doubling frames and textile machinery parts (2 per cent each) and electrolyptic capacitators (1 per cent).

UNI