Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Commerce & Industry

16-April-2012 11:34 IST

Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices in India (Base: 2004-05=100) Review for the month of March, 2012

The official Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05 = 100) for the month March, 2012 rose by 0.9 percent to 159.8 (Provisional) from 158.4 (Provisional) for the previous month.

INFLATION

The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 6.89% (Provisional) for the month of March, 2012 (over March, 2011) as compared to 6.95% (Provisional) for the previous month and 9.68% during the corresponding month of the previous year. Build up inflation in the financial year so far was 6.89% compared to a build up of 9.68% 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 2.4 percent to 206.3 (Provisional) from 201.5 (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 Articles' group rose by 2.3 percent to 196.8 (Provisional) from 192.3 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of fruits & vegetables (9%), poultry chicken (7%), barley (6%), maize (3%),      beef & buffalo meat,  bajra and gram (2% each) and wheat,  moong,  ragi and rice (1% each).  However, the prices of jowar (5%), tea (4%), egg, urad, arhar and fish-marine (2% each) and fish-inland (1%) declined.

The index for 'Non-Food Articles' group rose by 1.3 percent to 189.1 (Provisional) from 186.7 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of  gaur seed (52%), soyabean (7%), groundnut seed (6%),  raw rubber (5 %), sunflower and niger seed (4% each), copra  and gingelly seed (3% each), fodder  and linseed (2% each) and       safflower  and raw jute (1% each).  However, the prices of flowers (36%), castor seed (5%), raw cotton (2%) and       coir fibre (1%) declined.

The index for 'Minerals' group rose by 4.1 percent to 343.0 (Provisional) from 329.6 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of copper ore (24%), magnesite (17%), steatite (11%), iron ore and zinc concentrate (3% each) and crude petroleum (2%).  However, the prices of sillimanite (13%), manganese ore and barytes (3% each) declined.

FUEL & POWER (Weight 14.91%)

The index for this major group rose by 0.5 percent to 174.0 (Provisional) from 173.2 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of light diesel oil (8%), aviation turbine fuel (5%), naphtha (3%) and      furnace oil (2%).  However, the prices of bitumen (4%) declined.

MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS (Weight 64.97%)

The index for this major group rose by 0.4 percent to 142.2 (Provisional) from 141.7 (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 153.7 (Provisional) from 153.4 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of groundnut oil (5%), palm oil, soyabean oil and mustard & rapeseed oil      (2% each) and cotton seed oil and sugar confectionary (1% each).  However, the prices of tea leaf (unblended)    (4%), canned fish (3%), ghee (2%) and mixed spices, oil cakes and copra oil (1% each) declined.

The index for 'Beverages, Tobacco & Tobacco Products' group rose by 0.2 percent to 167.2 (Provisional) from 166.8 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of bidi and soft drinks & carbonated water (1% each).  However, the prices of dried tobacco (1%) declined.

The index for 'Textiles' group rose by 0.7 percent to 128.0 (Provisional) from 127.1 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of cotton yarn (2%) and jute yarn, gunny and hessian cloth, tyre cord fabric, man made fabric and cotton fabric (1% each).

The index for 'Wood & Wood Products' group declined by 0.6 percent to 162.6 (Provisional) from 163.5 (Provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of timber / wooden planks (4%).  However, the prices of  plywood & fibre board (1%) moved up.

The index for 'Paper & Paper Products' group rose by 0.7 percent to 133.2 (Provisional) from 132.3 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of paper pulp and books/ periodicals/ journals (3% each), paper for printing / poster (2%) and printing and writing paper, maplitho paper and computer stationery (1% each).

The index for 'Leather & Leather Products' group rose by 0.5 percent to 131.2 (Provisional) from 130.6 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of leather footwear (1%).

The index for 'Rubber & Plastic Products' group rose by 0.3 percent to 134.5 (Provisional) from 134.1 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of rubber transmission belt (2%).

The index for 'Chemicals & Chemical Products' group rose by 0.7 percent to 138.9 (Provisional) from 137.9 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of di ammonium phosphate and ammonium sulphate (3 % each), basic organic chemicals, hair / body oils, pigment & pigment intermediates and organic manure (2% each) and washing powder, lacquer & varnishes, paints, explosives and rubber chemicals (1% each).  However, the prices of antacid and digestive preparations and turpentine oil (1% each) declined.

The index for 'Non-Metallic Mineral Products' group rose by 0.5 percent to 156.7 (Provisional) from 155.9 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of slag cement (3%) and bricks & tiles (1%).

The index for 'Basic Metals, Alloys & Metal Products' group rose by 0.3 percent to 162.4 (Provisional) from 161.9 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of sponge iron and ferro chrome (4% each),     silver (3%), pig iron, rebars, melting scrap and pencil ingots (2% each) and rounds, joist & beams, wire rods,     angles, pressure cooker, steel pipes & tubes, billets, aluminium, fixtures, nuts/bolts/screw/ washers, sheets and iron & steel wire (1% each).  However, the prices of crc (7%), metal containers (3%) and gold & gold ornaments  and slab (1% each) declined.

The index for 'Machinery & Machine Tools' group rose by 0.1 percent to 126.0 (Provisional) from 125.9 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of thresher (4%), boiler & accessories, engines and cranes (2% each) and electrical pumps, communication equipments, industrial  valves, batteries, t.v.sets, lamps,     material handling equipments, pump & assembly, pvc insulated cable and hydraulic equipment (1% each).  However, the prices of earth moving machinery (7%), control equipments (5%) and computer power supply system (smps), battery dry cells and insulators (1% each) declined.

The index for 'Transport, Equipment & Parts' group rose by 0.6 percent to 126.2 (Provisional) from 125.5 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of shafts (all kinds) (2%) and bi-cycles, motor vehicles and motor cycle / scooter / moped (1% each).

FINAL INDEX FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY, 2012 (BASE YEAR: 2004-05=100)

For the month of January, 2012 the final Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05=100) stood at 158.2 as compared to 157.7 (Provisional) and annual rate of inflation based on final index stood at 6.89 percent as compared to 6.55 percent (Provisional) reported on 14.02.2012.

Next date of press release: 14/05/2012 for the month of April, 2012

Annexure-I

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

DS/GK