The official Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05 = 100) for the month April, 2013 rose by 0.5 percent to 171.5 (provisional) from 170.6 (provisional) for the previous month.

INFLATION

The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 4.89% (provisional) for the month of April, 2013 (over April, 2012) as compared to 5.96% (provisional) for the previous month and 7.50% during the corresponding month of the previous year. Build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 0.53% compared to a build up rate of 1.55% in the corresponding period of the previous year.

Inflation for important commodities / commodity groups is indicated in Annex-1 and Annex-II.

The movement of the index for the various commodity groups is summarized below:-

PRIMARY ARTICLES (Weight 20.12%)

The index for this major group rose by 2.0 percent to 228.0 (provisional) from 223.6 (provisional) for the previous month. The groups and items which showed variations during the month are as follows:-

The index for `Food Articles` group rose by 2.6 percent to 219.8 (provisional) from 214.3 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of fruits & vegetables (11%), masur (4%) and fish-marine, condiments & spices, urad and tea (1% each). However, the price of poultry chicken (7%) and barley, jowar, ragi, wheat, gram and egg (1% each) declined.

The index for `Non-Food Articles` group rose by 1.4 percent to 209.7 (provisional) from 206.9 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of flowers (11%), soyabean (8%), groundnut seed and raw silk (5% each), fodder (2%) and copra, coir fibre, cotton seed, sunflower and mesta (1% each). However, the price of guar seed and linseed (4% each), raw rubber (3%) and raw cotton, castor seed, rape & mustard seed and gingelly seed (1% each) declined.

The index for `Minerals` group declined by 0.7 percent to 355.0 (provisional) from 357.4 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of sillimanite (11%), crude petroleum (2%). However, the price of magnesite, steatite and copper ore (2% each) and barytes (1%) moved up.

FUEL & POWER (Weight 14.91%)

The index for this major group declined by 0.7 percent to 194.6 (provisional) from 195.9 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of aviation turbine fuel (6%), petrol and furnace oil (2% each), lpg(1%). However, the price of bitumen (1%) moved up.

MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS (Weight 64.97%)

The index for this major group rose by 0.2 percent to 148.7 (provisional) from 148.4 (provisional) for the previous month. The groups and items for which the index showed variations during the month are as follows:-

The index for `Food Products` group rose by 0.5 percent to 165.8 (provisional) from 164.9 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of processed prawn (6%), tea leaf (unblended) (5%), oil cakes, gur and tea dust (unblended) (3% each), mixed spices (2%) and groundnut oil, cotton seed oil, sunflower oil and gola (cattle feed) (1 % each). However, the price of coffee powder, maida, khandsari, soyabean oil, canned fish and mustard & rapeseed oil (1% each) declined.

The index for `Beverages, Tobacco & Tobacco Products` group rose by 1.7 percent to 181.2 (provisional) from 178.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of cigarette (8%) and dried tobacco (1%).

The index for `Textiles` group rose by 0.7 percent to 133.6 (provisional) from 132.7 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of cotton yarn (2%) and gunny and hessian cloth and woollen textiles (1% each).

The index for `Wood & Wood Products` group rose by 0.3 percent to 174.0 (provisional) from 173.5 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of plywood & fibre board (1%).

The index for `Leather & Leather Products` group rose by 0.6 percent to 135.1 (provisional) from 134.3 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of leather garments & jackets (3%) and leather footwear (1%).

The index for `Rubber & Plastic Products` group rose by 0.1 percent to 139.5 (provisional) from 139.4 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of plastic/ldpe/polythene bags and tooth brush (3% each).

The index for `Chemicals & Chemical Products` group rose by 0.2 percent to 145.8 (provisional) from 145.5 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of synthetic resin (5%), agarbattis (3%) and vaccines (1%). However, the price of pesticides (3%) and ammonium sulphate and hair / body oils (1% each) declined.

The index for `Non-Metallic Mineral Products` group declined by 0.7 percent to 166.6 (provisional) from 167.7 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of marbles (16%) and glass bottles & bottleware (1%). However, the price of white cement (1%) moved up.

The index for `Basic Metals, Alloys & Metal Products` group declined by 0.3 percent to 164.3 (provisional) from 164.8 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of silver and lead (4% each), gold & gold ornaments   (3%) and slab, crc, zinc, rounds, wire rods, melting scrap and iron castings (1% each). However, the price of     ferro chrome (2%) and iron & steel wire, steel castings, pipes/tubes/rods/strips, ferro manganese, pencil ingots and sponge iron (1% each) moved up.

The index for `Machinery & Machine Tools` group rose by 0.1 percent to 129.6 (provisional) from 129.5 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of fibre optic cable (4%), electric switches (2%) and pvc insulated cable, grinding /wet coffee machinery, hydraulic equipment, batteries and harvester (1% each). However, the price of lamps (6%), ups / stabilizer (4%) and pump & assembly, t.v.sets, electric generators and boiler & accessories (1% each) declined.

The index for `Transport, Equipment & Parts` group rose by 0.1 percent to 132.4 (provisional) from 132.3 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of trolleys/tanker (1%).

FINAL INDEX FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY , 2013 (BASE YEAR: 2004-05=100)

For the month of February, 2013, the final Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05=100) stood at 170.9 as compared to 170.2 (provisional) and annual rate of inflation based on final index stood at 7.28 percent as compared to 6.84 percent respectively as reported on 14.02.2013.

Annexure-I

 Wholesale Price Index and Rates of Inflation (Base Year: 2004-05=100)

Annexure-II

Trend of Rate of Inflation for some important items during last six months

DS/RK

(Release ID :95962)

Wholesale Price Inflation moderates in April as primary articles and manufactured products rise while fuel and minerals ease. The official Wholesale Price Index for all commodities rose marginally month over month in April 2013, with the annual rate of inflation moderating from the previous month. Primary Articles advanced on higher food and non food agricultural prices while minerals declined; Fuel & Power eased primarily due to falls in aviation turbine fuel, petrol and furnace oil; Manufactured Products recorded a modest rise with mixed subgroup movements. Annexures tabulate weights, index levels and month on month, year on year and fiscal build up changes for detailed sectoral analysis.