Consumer price inflation hit a 13-month low in September on cheaper vegetables, pulses
14 Oct 2016
Consumer price inflation in India eased to 4.31 per cent in September, hitting a 13-month low on the back of lower prices of food items, including vegetables and pulses, official data released on Thursday showed.
Consumer price inflation based on the consumer price index (CPI) stood at 5.05 per cent in August. It was at 4.41 per cent in September 2015.
Food price inflation based on the CPI also eased to 3.88 per cent in September , levels seen in September 2015, against the previous month's (August 2016) high of 5.91 per cent.
Amongst food items, the inflation rate of vegetables contracted by 7.21 per cent in September against a 1.02 per cent growth in August.
Similarly, prices of pulses eased by 14.33 per cent in September against growth of 22.01 per cent in the month ago.
However, the inflation rate for sugar and eggs rose marginally in September by 25.77 per cent and 9.94 per cent respectively.
Overall retail inflation in the food and beverages basket eased by 4.12 per cent in September from 5.83 per cent in August.
Retail inflation in the fuel and light basket however, rose by 3.07 per cent in September from 2.49 per cent in the month ago. It also rose by 4.51 per cent (4.18 per cent in August) in the miscellaneous category in September.
Official data also provided separate data on consumer price inflation for urban and rural areas.
Consumer price inflation for urban areas was higher at 3.64 per cent in September 2016 against 3.61 per cent in September 2015 and 4.22 per cent in August 2016.
For rural areas, consumer price inflation for September 2016 stood at 4.96 per cent against 5.05 per cent in September 2015 and 5.87 per cent in August 2016.
Food price inflation for urban areas stood at 2.88 per cent in September 2016 against 3.45 per cent in September 2015 and 5.10 per cent in August 2015.
For rural areas food price inflation in September 2016 stood at 4.33 per cent against 4.05 per cent in September 2015 and 6.32 per cent in August 2016.
