Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Commerce & Industry

14-February-2012 11:39 IST

The official Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05 = 100) for the month January, 2012 rose by    0.5 percent to 157.7 (Provisional) from 156.9 (Provisional) for the previous month..

INFLATION

The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 6.55% (Provisional) for the month of January, 2012 (over January, 2011) as compared to 7.47% (Provisional) for the previous month and 9.47% during the corresponding month of the previous year. Build up inflation in the financial year so far was 5.48% compared to a build up of 8.58% 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 0.9 percent to 199.7 (Provisional) from 197.9 (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 0.3 percent to 191.4 (Provisional) from 190.8 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of fish-marine (11%), bajra (7%), jowar, barley and maize (5% each), poultry chicken (4%), masur (3%), mutton (2%) and milk and wheat (1% each).  However, the prices of condiments & spices     (5%), tea (4%), fruits & vegetables (3%) and moong,  urad, gram, ragi and rice (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Non-Food Articles’ group rose by 2.4 percent to 182.8 (Provisional) from 178.6 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of gaur seed (35%), flowers (16%), logs & timber (10%), soyabean (9%),      groundnut seed and linseed (7% each), raw jute (6%), rape & mustard seed (4%), niger seed and gingelly seed (3% each) and safflower, raw silk and mesta (1% each).  However, the prices of castor seed (7%), raw rubber (6%), copra (4%), raw cotton (3%) and sunflower (1%) declined.

The index for ‘Minerals’ group rose by 1.9 percent to 324.5 (Provisional) from 318.5 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of sillimanite (22%), zinc concentrate and iron ore (4% each), magnesite and crude petroleum (2% each) and barytes (1%).  However, the prices of dolomite (2%) declined.

FUEL & POWER (Weight 14.91%)

The index for this major group rose by 0.1 percent to 172.8 (Provisional) from 172.6 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of light diesel oil (4%), lignite (3%) and naphtha (1%).  However, the prices of bitumen (1%) declined.

MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS (Weight 64.97%)

The index for this major group rose by 0.4 percent to 141.2 (Provisional) from 140.6 (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 0.3 percent to 153.4 (Provisional) from 152.9 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of groundnut oil, gur, mustard & rapeseed oil and soyabean oil (4% each), gingelly oil, tea leaf (blended), palm oil and oil cakes (3% each), ghee and canned fish (2% each) and cotton seed oil, khandsari and rice bran oil (1% each).  However, the prices of processed prawn (5%), sugar (2%) and tea dust (blended), tea leaf (unblended) and mixed spices (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Beverages, Tobacco & Tobacco Products’ group rose by 0.4 percent to 164.7 (Provisional) from 164.0 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of dried tobacco (6%) and cigarette and soft drinks & carbonated water (1% each).  However, the prices of bidi (1%) declined.

The index for ‘Textiles’ group rose by 0.4 percent to 126.6 (Provisional) from 126.1 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of man made fabric (2%).  However, the prices of jute sacking bag (2%) and gunny and hessian cloth and jute sacking cloth (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Wood & Wood Products’ group rose by 0.2 percent to 163.2 (Provisional) from 162.9 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of processed wood (1%).  However, the prices of plywood & fibre board (1%) declined.

The index for ‘Paper & Paper Products’ group rose by 0.2 percent to 132.4 (Provisional) from 132.2 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of paper pulp (3%), corrugated sheet boxes (2%) and computer stationery (1%).  However, the prices of  paper cartons / boxes (2%) declined.

The index for ‘Leather & Leather Products’ group declined by 0.2 percent to 131.2 (Provisional) from 131.5 (Provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of leather footwear (1%).  However, the prices of leather garments & jackets   (1%) moved up.

The index for ‘Rubber & Plastic Products’ group rose by 0.8 percent to 134.3 (Provisional) from 133.2 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of rubber products, plastic products and tubes (1% each).

The index for ‘Chemicals & Chemical Products’ group rose by 0.7 percent to 137.4 (Provisional) from 136.4 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of ammonium sulphate (5%), agarbattis and paints (3% each), basic organic chemicals,  non-cyclic compound and  organic manure (2% each) and distemper, washing soap, antibiotics, basic inorganic chemicals, urea and toilet soap (1% each).  However, the prices of synthetic resin, rubber chemicals, di ammonium phosphate and pigment & pigment intermediates (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Non-Metallic Mineral Products’ group rose by 0.3 percent to 156.2 (Provisional) from 155.7 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of slag  cement (4%), bricks & tiles (2%) and white cement and asbestos corrugated sheet (1% each).

The index for ‘Basic Metals, Alloys & Metal Products’ group rose by 0.8 percent to 160.7 (Provisional) from 159.5 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of sheets (6%), sponge iron and iron & steel wire (3% each), rebars, slab and billets (2% each) and melting scrap, joist & beams, angles, pencil  ingots, hrc, rounds, wire rods, utensils (other than aluminium), steel rods and nuts/bolts/screw/ washers (1% each).  However, the prices of silver (6%) and pipes/tubes/rods/strips, zinc, gold & gold ornaments, pig iron and steel: pipes & tubes (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Machinery & Machine Tools’ group rose by 0.1 percent to 125.5 (Provisional) from 125.4 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of earth moving machinery (10%) and microwave oven, air conditioner & refrigerators and lamps (1% each).  However, the prices of rubber machinery (8%), electric switch gears (6%), insulators (3%) and compressors and sprinkler (1% each) declined.

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

For the month of November, 2011 the final Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05=100) stood at 157.4 as compared to 156.9 (Provisional) and annual rate of inflation based on final index stood at 9.46 percent as compared to 9.11 percent (Provisional) reported on 14.12.2011.

Next date of press release: 14/03/2012 for the month of February, 2011

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

Annexure-I

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

 DS/GK