Food inflation dips to 8.28% on cheaper pulses, wheat

PTI Updated - April 15, 2011 at 11:56 PM.

Commodities being kept for sale at at a wholesale shop. Food inflation fell to a year’s low of 8.28 per cent for the week ended April 2 as the prices of certain essential items, like pulses and wheat, declined. -- M.A. Sriram. (file photo)

Food inflation fell to a year’s low of 8.28 per cent for the week ended April 2 as the prices of certain essential items, like pulses and wheat, declined.

This is the third consecutive week of decline in food inflation. In the preceding week, it was was 9.18 per cent in the preceding week.

The lowest level of food inflation as seen in 2010 was on November 20 when it stood at 8.6 per cent.

During the week under review, prices of pulses fell by 4.76 per cent. Also, potato and wheat became cheaper by 2.73 and 1.05 per cent, respectively on an annual basis, official data released here showed.

However, other food items continued to exhibit an upward trend in terms of the rate of price rise.

Fruits became dearer by 24.14 per cent year-on-year, while eggs, meat and fish became 11.02 per cent more expensive during the week under review. Milk was up by 4.05 per cent.

On an annual basis, cereals became dearer by 3.49 per cent, while rice and wheat were up by 2.2 per cent. Vegetables were up by 5.41 per cent, led by onion whose prices went up by 7.74 per cent.

During the week under review, inflation in non-food articles stood at 26.77 per cent. “Fibres” became dearer by 86.74 per cent, while fuel and power was up by 12.97 per cent.

Published on April 15, 2011 07:45