The official Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05 = 100) for the month of April, 2014 rose by 0.2 percent to 180.2 (provisional) from 179.8 (provisional) for the previous month.

INFLATION

The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 5.20% (provisional) for the month of April, 2014 (over April,2013) as compared to 5.70% (provisional) for the previous month and 4.77% during the corresponding month of the previous year. Build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 0.22% compared to a build up rate of 0.71% 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 1.0 percent to 242.5 (provisional) from 240.2 (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 1.5 percent to 238.8 (provisional) from 235.3 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of tea (12%), fruits & vegetables and poultry chicken (7% each), masur and moong (3% each), pork (2%) and ragi, jowar, rice, mutton, bajra and condiments & spices (1% each).  However, the price of egg (10%), fish-inland (5%), barley (4%), wheat (2%) and fish-marine and maize (1% each) declined.

The index for `Non-Food Articles` group declined by 0.4 percent to 216.3 (provisional) from 217.2 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of fodder (6%), raw rubber (4%), raw silk (3%), castor seed, raw cotton and flowers (2 % each) and rape & mustard seed, guar seed, cotton seed and sunflower (1% each).  However, the price of copra (coconut) (14%), niger seed and raw jute (3% each), soyabean (2%) and groundnut seed and logs & timber (1% each) moved up.

The index for `Minerals` group marginally declined to 350.8 (provisional) from 350.9 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of copper ore (11%), magnesite (4%) and chromite (1%). However, the price of zinc concentrate (19%), barytes (6%), sillimanite (3%), iron ore (2%) and manganese ore, steatite and crude petroleum (1% each) moved up.

FUEL & POWER (Weight 14.91%)

The index for this major group declined by 1.0 percent to 211.0 (provisional) from 213.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of aviation turbine fuel and furnace oil (4% each), LPG and petrol (2% each) and kerosene and bitumen (1% each).

MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS (Weight 64.97%)

The index for this major group rose by 0.2 percent to 153.8 (provisional) from 153.5 (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 0.8 percent to 170.1 (provisional) from 168.7 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of gingelly oil (5%), gola (cattle feed) (4%), sugar and bakery products (3% each), vanaspati, gur and wheat flour (atta) (2% each) and oil cakes, khandsari, palm oil, sugar confectionary and      ghee (1% each).  However, the price of processed prawn (8%), tea dust (unblended) (5%), groundnut oil, mustard & rapeseed oil and tea leaf (unblended) (3% each), rice bran oil (2%) and mixed spices, copra oil, soyabean oil and cotton seed oil (1% each) declined.

The index for `Beverages, Tobacco & Tobacco Products` group rose by 0.4 percent to 195.8 (provisional) from 195.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of zarda (13%), cigarette (2%) and bidi (1%).  However, the price of dried tobacco (8%) and soft drinks & carbonated water (3%) declined.

The index for `Textiles` group rose by 0.9 percent to 142.6 (provisional) from 141.3 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of jute yarn (13%), cotton yarn (4%), gunny and hessian cloth (3%) and tyre cord fabric,     jute sacking bag and man made fibre (1% each).  However, the price of woollen textiles (1%) declined.

The index for `Wood & Wood Products` group rose by 0.4 percent to 183.8 (provisional) from 183.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of plywood & fibre board (1%).

The index for `Paper & Paper Products` group rose by 0.1 percent to 146.5 (provisional) from 146.3 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of newspaper (2%) and laminated paper and paper for printing / poster (1% each).

The index for `Leather & Leather Products` group declined by 0.5 percent to 145.2 (provisional) from 146.0 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of leather garments & jackets (3%) and leathers (1%).

The index for `Rubber & Plastic Products` group rose by 0.1 percent to 149.4 (provisional) from 149.2 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of hdpe woven fabric (9%), rubber transmission belt (8%), plastic films & sheets (4%) and plastic/pvc pipe and plastic/ldpe/polythene bags (1% each).  However, the prices of football (4%), plastic pvc chappals (2%) and plastic bottles, polythene/pvc foam and hdpe bag (1% each) declined.

The index for `Chemicals & Chemical Products` group rose by 0.8 percent to 152.3 (provisional) from 151.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of polymers and dye & dye intermediates (7% each),     synthetic resin (5%), castor oil (4%), ammonium sulphate (3%), organic manure, basic organic chemicals and pesticides (2% each) and basic inorganic chemicals, paints, pigment & pigment intermediates and vitamins (1% each).  However, the price of non-cyclic compound (8%), adhesive & gum (1%) declined.

The index for `Non-Metallic Mineral Products` group rose by 0.4 percent to 168.2 (provisional) from 167.6 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of polished granite (8%) and railway sleeper and bricks & tiles (1% each).  However, the price of marbles (9%) declined.

The index for `Basic Metals, Alloys & Metal Products` group declined by 1.3 percent to 165.4 (provisional) from 167.6 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of billets (6%), plates (5%), silver (4 %), steel castings, angles and joist & beams (3% each), crc, rebars, rounds, gold & gold ornaments and hrc (2% each) and copper/copper ingots, nuts/bolts/screw/ washers, pressure cooker, ferro chrome, gp/gc sheets and metal containers (1% each).  However, the price of melting scrap (2%) and steel rods, steel: pipes & tubes, steel structures and pencil ingots (1% each) moved up.

The index for `Machinery & Machine Tools` group rose by 0.2 percent to 133.0 (provisional) from 132.7 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of fibre optic cable (18%), loader (16%), industrial  valves (5%), machine tools (2%) and communication equipments and air conditioner & refrigerators (1% each).  However, the price of washing / laundry machines (3%), t.v.sets (2%) and electric generators and magnets (1% each) declined.

The index for `Transport, Equipment & Parts` group declined by 0.1 percent to 135.7 (provisional) from 135.8 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of geared motor (7%), steering gears (3%) and suspension and lamp (1% each).  However, the price of tractors (1%) moved up.

FINAL INDEX FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, 2014 (BASE YEAR: 2004-05=100)

For the month of  February, 2014, the final Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05=100) stood at 179.5 as compared to 178.9 (provisional) and annual rate of inflation based on final index stood at 5.03 percent as compared to 4.68 percent respectively as reported on 14.03.2014.

Annexure-I

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

Month of April, 2014