Food price inflation rate spurts to 15.10 per cent

The annual rate of inflation based on the wholesale price index of food articles in the country (the new series with 2004-05 as the base year) spurted to 15.10 per cent (provisional) during the week ended 4 September 2010 from 11.47 per cent (provisional) in the previous week.

The spurt in inflation rate was due mainly to higher prices of fish (3 per cent), fruits and vegetables, urad and condiments and spices (1 per cent each). 

Food price inflation stood at 14.64 per cent in the comparable week a year ago (week ended 5 September 2009).

Build-up of food price inflation so far during the financial year (beginning 1 April 2010) was 8.52 per cent (provisional) against 14.22 per cent in the corresponding week of the previous year.

The index for the 'food articles' group rose 0.3 per cent to 178.4 (provisional) from 177.8 (provisional) in the previous week due to higher prices of fish-inland (3 per cent) and fruits and vegetables, urad and condiments and spices (1 per cent each). However, the prices of arhar (-5 per cent) and maize, barley and moong (-1 per cent each) declined.

Inflation rate based on the wholesale price index of non-food articles eased further to 14.40 per cent (provisional) during the week ended 4 September 2010 from 20.43 per cent (provisional) during the previous week.