Inflation rate a tad higher at 0.31 per cent

The annual rate of inflation based on the wholesale price index stood at 0.31 per cent (provisional) for the week ended 21 March 2009 as compared to 0.27 per cent (provisional) for the previous week (ended 14 March 2009) and 7.85 per cent during the corresponding week (ended 22 March 2008) of the previous year.

The official wholesale price index for 'all commodities' (base: 1993-94 = 100) for the week ended 21 March 2009 rose 0.1 per cent to 227.3 (provisional) from 227.0 (provisional) for the previous week.

The index for the `primary articles' group rose marginally to 245.7 (provisional) from 245.6 (provisional) for the previous week.

Among primary articles, the index for the 'food articles' group declined 0.4 per cent to 241.8 (provisional) from 242.7 (provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of fruits and vegetables, barley and jowar (-2 per cent each). However, the prices of bajra (2 per cent) and condiments and spices (1 per cent) moved up.

The index for the 'non-food articles' group rose 1.2 per cent to 225.8 (provisional) from 223.2 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of soyabean (11 per cent), niger seed (3 per cent), raw rubber (2 per cent) and copra, castor seed, groundnut seed, rape and mustard seed, gingelly seed and raw cotton (1 per cent each). However, the prices of raw silk (-1 per cent) declined.

The index for the `fuel, power, light and lubricants' group declined marginally to 320.9 (provisional) from 321.0 (provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of furnace oil (-1 per cent). However the prices of aviation turbine fuel (1 per cent) moved up.

The index for the `manufactured products' group rose 0.2 per cent to  200.0 (provisional) from 199.6 (provisional) for the previous week.

The index for 'food products' group rose 1.6 per cent to 218.8 (provisional) from 215.3 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of blended tea leaf green (48 per cent), packed tea (22 per cent), oil cakes (4 per cent) and gur and imported edible oil (1 per cent each). However, the prices of rice bran oil (-3 per cent), khandsari (-2 per cent) and rape and mustard oil, salt and coconut oil (-1 per cent each) declined.

The index for 'beverages tobacco and tobacco products' group rose 0.2 per cent to 302.0 (provisional) from 301.5 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of aerated water (10 per cent) and soft drinks (2 per cent).

The index for the 'textiles' group declined 0.3 per cent to 138.9 (provisional) from 139.3 (provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of woollen yarn (-9 per cent) and synthetic yarn and texturised yarn (-2 per cent each).

The index for 'rubber and plastic products ' group rose 0.1 per cent to 167.6 (provisional) from 167.4 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of PVC fitting and accessories (8 per cent).

The index for the 'chemicals and chemical products' group declined 0.2 per cent to 213.8 (provisional) from 214.2 (provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of carbon black (-12 per cent), liquid nitrogen (-9 per cent) and hair oil (-3 per cent). However, the prices of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) (1 per cent) moved up.

The index for 'non-metallic mineral products' group rose 0.2 per cent to 218.8 (provisional) from 218.3 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of cement (0.4 per cent).

The index for 'basic metals alloys and metal products' group declined 0.5 per cent to 255.9 (provisional) from 257.3 (provisional) for the previous week, due to lower prices of cast iron spun pipes (-13 per cent), steel sheets, plates and strips (-7 per cent), steel ingots (plain carbon) and MS bars and rounds (-4per cent each), zinc (-3 per cent) and basic pig iron, foundry pig iron and other iron steel (-2 per cent each). However, the prices of lead ingots (2 per cent) moved up.

The index for the 'machinery and machine tools' group rose 0.1 per cent to 172.2 (provisional) from 172.1 (provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of switch gears (2 per cent). However, the prices of power capacitors (-4 per cent) declined.

The index for 'transport equipment and parts' group declined 0.1 per cent to 175.5 (provisional) from 175.6 (provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of springs (-7 per cent).

The annual rate of inflation for the week ended 24 January 2009 stood at 4.70 per cent as compared to 5.07 per cent (provisional) reported earlier as the final wholesale price index for 'all commodities' stood at 229.3 as compared to 230.1as reported earlier.