Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Commerce & Industry

14-November-2011 11:32 IST

Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices in India (Base: 2004-05=100) Review for the month of October, 2011

The official Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05 = 100) for the month October, 2011 rose by 0.6 percent to 156.8 (Provisional) from 155.8 (Provisional) for the previous month.

INFLATION

The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 9.73% (Provisional) for the month of October, 2011 (over October, 2010) as compared to 9.72% (Provisional) for the previous month and 9.08% during the corresponding month of the previous year. Build up inflation in the financial year so far was 4.88% compared to a build up of 4.84% 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 204.3 (Provisional) from 202.2 (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 Articles’ group rose by 2.2 percent to 200.9 (Provisional) from 196.5 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of fish-inland (12%), gram (10%), condiments & spices (6%), fruits & vegetables (5 %), egg (3%), urad, masur, rice and arhar (2% each) and ragi, pork, moong, tea and milk (1% each).  However, the prices of fish-marine (7%), poultry chicken and bajra (5% each), maize and jowar (4% each), barley and coffee (2% each) and       wheat (1%) declined.

The index for ‘Non-Food Articles’ group declined by 3.0 percent to 178.9 (Provisional) from 184.4 (Provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of  safflower (19%), castor seed (12%), soyabean (9%), flowers (8%), sunflower, raw jute, raw cotton and coir fibre (6% each), groundnut seed (4%), raw silk and copra (3% each) and rape & mustard seed and niger seed (1% each).  However, the prices of gingelly seed (10%), gaur seed and linseed (3%) and fodder (1%) moved up.

The index for ‘Minerals’ group rose by 0.3 percent to 307.0 (Provisional) from 306.1 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of steatite (15%), magnesite (7%), barytes (5%) and crude petroleum (3%).  However, the prices of copper ore (12%), chromite (5%), bauxite and zinc concentrate (3% each), manganese ore (2%) and      sillimanite and iron ore (1% each) declined.

FUEL & POWER (Weight 14.91%)

The index for this major group rose by 1.0 percent to 170.0 (Provisional) from 168.4 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of bitumen (5%), furnace oil (4%),  naphtha and aviation turbine fuel (3% each), petrol and light diesel oil (2% each) and electricity (agricultural), electricity (domestic), electricity (commercial) and electricity (railway traction) (1% each).  However, the prices of electricity (industry) (1%) declined.

MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS (Weight 64.97%)

The index for this major group rose by 0.4 percent to 139.1 (Provisional) from 138.6 (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 0.2 percent to 152.0 (Provisional) from 151.7 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of powder milk and sunflower oil (3% each), mustard & rapeseed oil (2%) and canned fish, oil cakes,  khandsari and vanaspati (1% each).  However, the prices of tea dust (blended) and groundnut oil (3% each), tea leaf (unblended) (2%) and gur, mixed spices, soyabean oil, sugar confectionary, palm oil and rice bran oil (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Beverages, Tobacco & Tobacco Products’ group declined by 0.7 percent to 162.6 (Provisional) from 163.8 (Provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of dried tobacco (7%), zarda (3%) and bidi (1%).  However, the prices of rectified spirit (2%) moved up.

The index for ‘Textiles’ group declined by 0.3 percent to 126.0 (Provisional) from 126.4 (Provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of  jute sacking cloth (2%) and cotton fabric (1%).  However, the prices of man made fibre,     tyre cord fabric and woollen textiles (1% each) moved up.

The index for ‘Paper & Paper Products’ group rose by 0.6 percent to 132.4 (Provisional) from 131.6 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of  newspaper (8%), paper pulp (7%), printing and writing paper, books/ periodicals/ journals and paper for printing / poster (1% each).  However, the prices of corrugated sheet boxes (2%) declined.

The index for ‘Leather & Leather Products’ group rose by 0.5 percent to 129.8 (Provisional) from 129.2 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of leather footwear (1%).  However, the prices of leather garments & jackets      (3 %) and leathers (1%) declined.

The index for ‘Rubber & Plastic Products’ group rose by 0.1 percent to 133.5 (Provisional) from 133.4 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of rubber products (1%).

The index for ‘Chemicals & Chemical Products’ group rose by 0.7 percent to 134.4 (Provisional) from 133.5 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of di ammonium phosphate (6%), turpentine oil (3%), non-cyclic compound, synthetic resin and ammonium sulphate (2%) and adhesive &  gum, washing soap, hair / body oils,     agarbattis and pesticides (1% each).  However, the prices of organic manure (2%) and pigment & pigment intermediates (1%) declined.

The index for ‘Non-Metallic Mineral Products’ group rose by 1.2 percent to 151.2 (Provisional) from 149.4 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of slag  cement and grey cement (2% each) and bricks & tiles (1%).  However, the prices of asbestos corrugated sheet and polished granite (1% each) declined.

The index for 'Basic Metals, Alloys & Metal Products' group rose by 1.0 percent to 155.7 (Provisional) from 154.1 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of pig iron (4%), hrc and steel castings (3% each), sponge iron,     crc, sheets and steel: pipes & tubes (2% each) and iron castings, pencil  ingots, slab, wire rods, melting scrap, steel rods,     rebars, gp/gc sheets, plates and nuts/bolts/screw/ washers (1% each).  However, the prices of silver (8%) and ferro chrome, brass and copper products (other than wire) (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Machinery & Machine Tools’ group rose by 0.2 percent to 125.2 (Provisional) from 125.0 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of microwave oven (7%), pump & assembly and t.v.sets (4% each) and      hydraulic equipment and control equipments (1% each).  However, the prices of air conditioner & refrigerators and electrical wires (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Transport, Equipment & Parts’ group rose by 0.4 percent to 124.8 (Provisional) from 124.3 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of bi-cycles (2%) and motor vehicles and auto parts (1% each).

FINAL INDEX FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, 2011 (BASE YEAR: 2004-05=100)

For the month of August, 2011, both the final index and inflation based on final index for “All Commodities’ remained unchanged at its provisional level of 154.9 and 9.7 percent respectively reported on 14-9-2011.

Next date of press release: 14/12/2011 for the month of November, 2011

Office of Economic Adviser, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, New Delhi,

This press release is available at our home page http://eaindustry.nic.in

Annexure-I

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

DS/GK