Consumer price inflation marginally lower at 9.31% in May

Consumer price inflation in the country based on the provisional estimates of the all-India consumer price index (general) stood at 9.31 per cent in May 2013 against 9.39 per cent in the previous month.

The corresponding provisional inflation rates for rural and urban areas for May 2013 stood at 8.98 per cent and 9.65 per cent, respectively. Inflation rates (final) for rural and urban areas for April 2013 stood at 9.16 per cent and 9.73 per cent, respectively.

The inflation rate based on consumer food price index rose to 10.65 per cent in May 2013 from 10.61 per cent in the previous month.

During the month, prices of vegetables rose sharply to 9.78 per cent from 5.43 per cent in April, data released by the Central Statistical Office (CSO) today showed.

Inflation in protein-based items such as egg, meat and fish declined to 12.52 per cent in May 2013, from 13.60 per cent in April. Prices of oils and fats were lower at 5.49 per cent in May 2013, down from 7.52 per cent in April.

Cereals recorded the highest increase in prices at 16.29 per cent in May while prices of pulses stood at 9.59 per cent and for sugar it was 9.21 per cent.

The general index for clothing and footwear stood at 9.72 per cent during May.

The provisional CPI numbers for all-India (all groups) stood at 129.2 while the indices for the rural and urban sub-groups stood at 129.8 and 128.4, respectively.