The official Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05 = 100) for the month of August, 2014 rose by 0.6 percent to 185.7 (provisional) from 184.6 (provisional) for the previous month.

INFLATION 

The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 3.74% (provisional) for the month of August, 2014 (over August,2013) as compared to 5.19% (provisional) for the previous month and 6.99% during the corresponding month of the previous year. Build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 3.00% compared to a build up rate of 5.23% 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 261.7 (provisional) from 256.6 (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 265.4 (provisional) from 258.6 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of fruits & vegetables (7%), urad and condiments & spices (4% each), arhar, barley and milk (3 % each), masur, gram and ragi (2% each) and jowar, rice, coffee, poultry chicken, fish-marine and wheat (1% each).  However, the price of tea (9%), fish-inland (7%), maize and pork (2% each) and egg and bajra (1% each) declined. 

The index for ‘Non-Food Articles’ group rose by 0.3 percent to 218.7 (provisional) from 218.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of flowers (15%), copra (coconut) (14%), gingelly seed (6%), niger seed (5%), groundnut seed and linseed (2% each) and castor seed, rape & mustard seed and cotton seed (1% each).  However, the price of raw rubber (6 %), soyabean, raw silk and raw jute (4% each), raw cotton (3%), fodder (2%) and sunflower (1%) declined. 

The index for ‘Minerals’ group rose by 0.3 percent to  347.0 (provisional) from 346.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of barytes (10%), iron ore (3%), steatite and magnesite (2% each) and chromite (1%).  However, the price of sillimanite (23%), copper ore (5%), zinc concentrate (4%) declined.  

FUEL & POWER (Weight 14.91%) 

The index for this major group declined by 0.3 percent to 214.0 (provisional) from 214.7 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of petrol and furnace oil (3% each) and bitumen (2%).  However, the price of high speed diesel (1%) moved up. 

MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS (Weight 64.97%) 

The index for this major group rose by 0.3 percent to 155.8 (provisional) from 155.4 (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 0.1 percent to 174.7 (provisional) from 174.6 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of coffee powder (9%), copra oil (4%), gram powder (besan) (2%) and sugar, khandsari and sooji (rawa) (1% each).  However, the price of tea dust (blended) (7%), mixed spices and tea leaf (blended) (2% each) and  bakery products, soyabean oil, gur and gingelly oil (1% each) declined. 

The index for ‘Beverages, Tobacco & Tobacco Products’ group rose by 0.5 percent to 199.6 (provisional) from 198.7 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of dried tobacco (6%), chewing tobacco (scented or not ) (2%) and beer and rectified spirit (1% each). 

The index for ‘Textiles’ group rose by 0.1 percent to 144.2 (provisional) from 144.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of tyre cord fabric (4%), jute sacking cloth and man made fabric (2% each) and jute yarn and man made fibre (1% each).  However, the price of gunny and hessian cloth (4%) and cotton yarn and jute sacking bag (1% each) declined. 

The index for ‘Paper & Paper Products’ group rose by 0.2 percent to 149.6 (provisional) from 149.3 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of paper cartons / boxes (2%) and printing and writing paper (1%). 

The index for ‘Leather & Leather Products’ group rose by 1.7 percent to 146.7 (provisional) from 144.3 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of leather footwear (3%). 

The index for ‘Rubber & Plastic Products’ group rose by 0.2 percent to 150.9 (provisional) from 150.6 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of plastic films & sheets and football (3% each), rubber footwear and reclaimed rubber (2% each) and plastic rolls and hdpe bag (1% each).  However, the price of plastic containers (3%) and hdpe woven sacks (2%) and pvc rigid and polyester chips (1% each) declined. 

The index for ‘Chemicals & Chemical Products’ group rose by 0.5 percent to 154.1 (provisional) from 153.3 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of rubber chemicals (5%), pesticides (2%) and agarbattis, explosives,     turpentine oil, synthetic resin, dye & dye intermediates, vitamins, washing soap, organic manure, basic organic chemicals,  basic inorganic chemicals and non-cyclic compound (1% each).  However, the price of lacquer & varnishes, paints and washing powder (1% each) declined. 

The index for ‘Non-Metallic Mineral Products’ group rose by 0.8 percent to 169.5 (provisional) from 168.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of marbles (3%) and grey cement and railway sleeper (2% each).  However, the price of bricks & tiles (1%) declined. 

The index for ‘Basic Metals, Alloys & Metal Products’ group declined by 0.2 percent to 166.4 (provisional) from 166.8 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of wire rods and pig iron (3% each), melting scrap (2%) and      sponge iron, rounds, plates, steel rods, angles, pencil  ingots, crc, gold & gold ornaments, joist & beams, fixtures and ferro chrome (1% each).  However, the price of steel castings, ferro manganese and nuts/bolts/screw/ washers (2% each) and aluminium, silver and rebars (1% each) moved up. 

The index for ‘Machinery & Machine Tools’ group rose by 0.4 percent to 134.5 (provisional) from 133.9 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of pvc insulated cable (6%), heat exchanger (4%), grinding /wet coffee machinery and loader (2% each) and conductor, insulators, electric switch gears, pump & assembly, electric switches and battery dry cells (1% each).  However, the price of washing / laundry machines (3%), ball/roller bearing and microwave oven (2% each) and fibre optic cable, material handling equipments and machine tools (1% each) declined. 

The index for ‘Transport, Equipment & Parts’ group rose by 0.1 percent to 136.0 (provisional) from 135.8 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of bi-cycles (2%) and bus / mini bus / truck (1%). 

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

For the month of  June, 2014, the final Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05=100) stood at 183.0 as compared to 182.6 (provisional) and annual rate of inflation based on final index stood at 5.66 percent as compared to 5.43 percent respectively as reported on 16.06.2014.

Annexure-I

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

Month of August, 2014

Commodities/Major Groups/Groups/Sub-Groups	Weight	WPI Aug, 2014	Latest month over month			Build up from March		Year on year
			2013-14		2014-15	2013-14	2014-15	2013-14	2014-15
ALL COMMODITIES	100.00000	185.7	1.99		0.60	5.23	3.00	6.99	3.74
PRIMARY ARTICLES	20.11815	261.7	4.83		1.99	12.91	9.31	13.57	3.89
Food Articles	14.33709	265.4	5.83		2.63	17.89	13.13	19.17	5.15
Cereals	3.37323	235.5	1.38		0.64	6.87	1.90	15.57	3.70
Rice	1.79348	244.1	2.30		0.95	12.27	5.17	21.33	5.44
Wheat	1.11595	210.1	1.02		0.67	1.61	-3.67	9.38	0.67
Pulses	0.71662	238.9	-2.21		2.05	-4.93	4.92	-14.70	7.81
Vegetables	1.73553	377.8	17.55		13.25	112.63	90.42	80.96	-4.88
Potato	0.20150	362.0	-3.74		6.25	52.80	87.95	-15.25	61.61
Onion	0.17794	399.9	62.38		-2.25	152.30	64.16	272.54	-44.70
Fruits	2.10717	244.1	8.85		-0.57	8.85	12.70	8.33	20.31
Milk	3.23818	245.0	1.49		3.07	3.90	6.48	6.02	12.18
Egg, Meat & Fish	2.41384	271.1	6.94		-1.99	12.68	-4.10	20.15	-5.87
Non-Food Articles	4.25756	218.7	-0.57		0.28	1.11	0.46	1.21	4.19
Fibres	0.87737	225.6	3.79		-3.05	13.78	-5.41	11.79	-9.54
Oil Seeds	1.78051	217.8	-3.73		1.73	-5.51	5.22	-6.74	12.38
Minerals	1.52350	347.0	7.57		0.26	3.38	0.43	1.99	-4.59
FUEL & POWER	14.91021	214.0	2.40		-0.33	6.84	-0.09	12.66	4.54
Liquefied petroleum gas	0.91468	171.2	2.61		-0.06	-0.19	-3.11	8.39	6.07
Petrol	1.09015	194.6	2.63		-3.23	2.90	-2.99	3.29	-0.15
High speed diesel	4.67020	240.4	1.60		0.67	6.79	3.98	27.76	11.61
MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS	64.97164	155.8	0.47		0.26	1.28	1.04	2.31	3.45
Food Products	9.97396	174.7	0.72		0.06	1.99	3.31	2.43	3.43
Sugar	1.73731	195.1	-0.21		1.40	-0.78	6.38	-4.75	2.52
Edible Oils	3.04293	145.5	0.83		0.07	-0.41	-0.68	-2.86	-0.41
Beverages, Tobacco & Tobacco Product	1.76247	199.6	0.22		0.45	0.33	1.99	4.17	9.55
Cotton Textiles	2.60526	166.1	0.90		-0.72	4.73	0.73	7.30	5.66
Man Made Textiles	2.20573	136.8	0.93		0.96	2.59	1.33	6.17	4.59
Wood & Wood Products	0.58744	185.4	0.79		0.00	2.13	-1.07	3.86	4.27
Paper & Paper Products	2.03350	149.6	0.21		0.20	0.50	1.36	3.91	6.17
Leather & Leather Products	0.83509	146.7	0.63		1.66	6.61	0.48	6.29	2.16
Rubber & Plastic Products	2.98697	150.9	0.83		0.20	4.09	0.67	5.83	3.93
Chemicals & Chemical Products	12.01770	154.1	0.47		0.52	1.51	0.98	3.28	4.05
Non-Metallic Mineral Products	2.55597	169.5	-0.72		0.83	-0.54	1.19	0.85	2.17
Cement & Lime	1.38646	165.9	-1.98		2.03	-2.38	1.10	-1.98	-1.37
Basic Metals Alloys & Metal Product	10.74785	166.4	0.43		-0.24	-1.15	-0.72	-2.16	2.15
Iron & Semis	1.56301	158.8	-0.99		-1.24	-3.04	-0.06	-8.03	5.80
Machinery & Machine Tools	8.93148	134.5	0.15		0.45	1.24	0.98	2.10	2.67
Transport Equipment & Parts	5.21282	136.0	0.45		0.15	1.29	0.15	3.72	1.57

Trend of Rate of Inflation for some important items during last six months
Commodities/Major Groups/Groups/Sub-Groups	Weight (%)	Rate of Inflation for the last six months
		Aug-14	July-14	June-14	May-14	Apr-14	Mar-14
ALL COMMODITIES	100.00	3.74	5.19	5.66	6.18	5.55	6.00
PRIMARY ARTICLES	20.12	3.89	6.78	7.01	8.58	7.02	7.31
Food Articles	14.34	5.15	8.43	8.32	9.64	8.74	9.57
Cereals	3.37	3.70	4.46	5.60	7.81	8.27	8.75
Rice	1.79	5.44	6.85	10.24	12.75	12.76	12.56
Wheat	1.12	0.67	1.02	0.88	3.44	4.42	6.18
Pulses	0.72	7.81	3.31	0.61	-0.17	-1.84	-2.32
Vegetables	1.74	-4.88	-1.27	-5.44	0.08	1.62	6.21
Potato	0.20	61.61	46.41	46.46	37.12	33.01	31.38
Onion	0.18	-44.70	-8.13	-11.41	-3.46	-10.59	-15.00
Fruits	2.11	20.31	31.71	22.42	19.45	16.05	16.20
Milk	3.24	12.18	10.46	10.82	9.57	9.19	9.47
Egg, Meat & Fish	2.41	-5.87	2.71	10.20	12.51	10.17	10.60
Non-Food Articles	4.26	4.19	3.32	3.40	4.94	3.43	4.87
Fibres	0.88	-9.54	-3.16	3.55	8.44	7.59	8.80
Oil Seeds	1.78	12.38	6.36	4.79	4.97	0.19	0.93
Minerals	1.52	-4.59	2.37	4.87	8.06	2.86	-1.79
FUEL & POWER	14.91	4.54	7.40	9.04	10.53	9.34	11.80
Liquefied petroleum gas	0.91	6.07	8.90	6.74	7.11	7.50	9.28
Petrol	1.09	-0.15	5.90	9.02	12.28	7.77	5.91
High speed diesel	4.67	11.61	12.64	13.62	14.21	13.74	14.63
MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS	64.97	3.45	3.67	3.95	3.88	3.69	3.70
Food Products	9.97	3.43	4.11	3.34	3.29	2.88	2.11
Sugar	1.74	2.52	0.89	-0.68	-0.89	-1.15	-4.38
Edible Oils	3.04	-0.41	0.35	-0.75	-0.82	-0.68	-0.14
Beverages, Tobacco & Tobacco Product	1.76	9.55	9.30	9.03	8.45	8.58	7.76
Cotton Textiles	2.61	5.66	7.38	8.57	9.13	8.81	9.86
Man Made Textiles	2.21	4.59	4.55	5.54	6.04	5.98	5.88
Wood & Wood Products	0.59	4.27	5.10	6.50	6.68	8.68	7.64
Paper & Paper Products	2.03	6.17	6.19	6.41	6.26	6.49	5.28
Leather & Leather Products	0.84	2.16	1.12	3.99	4.49	6.86	8.39
Rubber & Plastic Products	2.99	3.93	4.58	4.75	5.34	6.68	7.46
Chemicals & Chemical Products	12.02	4.05	4.00	4.86	4.93	4.79	4.59
Non-Metallic Mineral Products	2.56	2.17	0.60	1.50	0.90	0.30	0.42
Cement & Lime	1.39	-1.37	-5.24	-3.05	-3.93	-5.02	-4.76
Basic Metals Alloys & Metal Product	10.75	2.15	2.84	2.71	2.39	1.34	1.70
Iron & Semis	1.56	5.80	6.07	5.70	3.82	2.38	2.65
Machinery & Machine Tools	8.93	2.67	2.37	2.91	2.45	2.62	2.94
Transport Equipment & Parts	5.21	1.57	1.88	2.48	2.72	2.73	2.72

Wholesale Price Index signals moderated annual inflation as monthly WPI rose modestly while fuel & power eased. The Wholesale Price Index (Base 2004 05=100) for August 2014 showed a modest month on month increase and a moderated annual inflation rate, with Primary Articles-led by Food Articles-rising, Fuel & Power declining due to lower petrol and furnace oil prices (offset partially by diesel), and Manufactured Products registering a small uptick with mixed subgroup movements; detailed weighted indices, year on year rates and build up inflation for the financial year are provided across major groups and subgroups.