Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Commerce & Industry

14-May-2012 11:51 IST

The official Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05 = 100) for the month April, 2012 rose by 2.1 percent to 163.1 (Provisional) from 159.8 (Provisional) for the previous month.

INFLATION

The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 7.23% (Provisional) for the month of April, 2012 (over April, 2011) as compared to 6.89% (Provisional) for the previous month and 9.74% during the corresponding month of the previous year. Build up inflation in the financial year so far was 2.07% compared to a build up of 1.74% 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 4.7 percent to 215.9 (Provisional) from 206.3 (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 4.9 percent to 206.4 (Provisional) from 196.8 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of fruits & vegetables (19%), barley (5%),  tea  (4%), masur, maize and bajra (3% each) and ragi and wheat (2% each) and fish-marine, gram, rice and milk (1% each).  However, the prices of coffee (8%), egg (4%), condiments & spices and poultry chicken (3% each), urad (2%) and pork (1%), arhar and jowar (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Non-Food Articles’ group rose by 3.3 percent to 195.3 (Provisional) from 189.1 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of gaur seed (24%), soyabean (13%), gingelly seed (8%), raw silk and rape & mustard seed (6% each), niger seed (5%), mesta, fodder and cotton seed (3% each), linseed, raw rubber, safflower and groundnut seed (2% each) and raw cotton and sunflower (1% each).  However, the prices of flowers (12%), copra (5%), castor seed (4%) and raw jute (2%) declined.

The index for ‘Minerals’ group rose by 5.6 percent to 362.1 (Provisional) from 343.0 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of gypsum (18%), copper ore (12%), crude petroleum (9%), steatite (6%) and chromite, sillimanite and magnesite (1% each).  However, the prices of zinc concentrate (5%), barytes (4%) and manganese ore and iron ore (2% each) declined.

FUEL & POWER (Weight 14.91%)

The index for this major group rose by 1.8 percent to 177.1 (Provisional) from 174.0 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of non-coking coal (33%), furnace oil and aviation turbine fuel (4% each), naphtha (3%), light diesel oil (2%) and lpg (1%).  However, the prices of coking coal (4%) and bitumen (1%) declined.

MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS (Weight 64.97%)

The index for this major group rose by 1.0 percent to 143.6 (Provisional) from 142.2 (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 Products’ group rose by 1.3 percent to 155.7 (Provisional) from 153.7 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of tea leaf (blended) (9%), rice bran oil, oil cakes and groundnut oil (4% each), gingelly oil, gur and mustard & rapeseed oil (3% each), soyabean oil, palm oil, sooji, gola and tea leaf (unblended) (2% each) and sugar confectionary, cotton seed oil, khandsari, sunflower oil, maida, mixed spices and ghee (1% each).  However, the prices of  processed prawn (5%), copra oil (4%), coffee powder and  tea dust (blended) (2% each) and tea dust (unblended) and canned fish (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Beverages, Tobacco & Tobacco Products’ group rose by 1.6 percent to 169.8 (Provisional) from 167.2 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of cigarette (5%), zarda (2%) and bidi and dried tobacco (1% each).

The index for ‘Textiles’ group rose by 0.2 percent to 128.2 (Provisional) from 128.0 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of gunny and hessian cloth, jute sacking bag and cotton yarn (1% each).  However, the prices of tyre cord fabric (2%) declined.

The index for ‘Wood & Wood Products’ group rose by 1.6 percent to 165.2 (Provisional) from 162.6 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of timber / wooden planks (5%).

The index for ‘Paper & Paper Products’ group declined by 0.5 percent to 132.6 (Provisional) from 133.2 (Provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of newspaper (9%) and books/ periodicals/ journals (2%).  However, the prices of paper rolls (2%) and corrugated sheet boxes, maplitho paper, printing and writing paper and laminated paper (1% each) moved up.

The index for ‘Leather & Leather Products’ group rose by 0.6 percent to 132.0 (Provisional) from 131.2 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of leathers and leather footwear (1% each).

The index for ‘Rubber & Plastic Products’ group rose by 0.6 percent to 135.3 (Provisional) from 134.5 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of plastic products (1%).

The index for ‘Chemicals & Chemical Products’ group rose by 0.5 percent to 139.6 (Provisional) from 138.9 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of paints (4%),  antacid and  digestive preparations and synthetic resin (3% each), washing soap and polymers (2% each) and photographic goods, organic manure, glycol, washing powder, toilet soap, hair / body oils, antibiotics, di ammonium phosphate, ayurvedic medicines, explosives and pigment & pigment intermediates (1% each).  However, the prices of adhesive &  gum and basic organic chemicals (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Non-Metallic Mineral Products’ group rose by 2.3 percent to 160.3 (Provisional) from 156.7 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of grey cement and asbestos corrugated sheet (4% each) and railway sleeper, white cement, lime and marbles (1% each).

The index for ‘Basic Metals, Alloys & Metal Products’ group rose by 1.8 percent to 165.3 (Provisional) from 162.4 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of crc (9%), angles and wire rods (5% each),     rounds and billets (4% each), joist & beams and rebars (3% each), plates, melting scrap, pencil  ingots, gp/gc sheets, sponge iron, copper products (other than wire), ferro manganese and hrc (2% each) and iron & steel wire,     slab, nuts/bolts/screw/ washers, ferro chrome, pressure cooker, metal containers, steel: pipes & tubes, gold & gold ornaments, sheets, copper wire (all types), pig iron, steel rods and aluminium (1% each).  However, the prices of copper / copper ingots, silver and iron castings (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Machinery & Machine Tools’ group rose by 0.3 percent to 126.4 (Provisional) from 126.0 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of control equipments (6%), loader and  ball/roller bearing (3% each), fibre optic cable (2%) and machine tools, compressors, fans, transformer, magnets, electric switches and pump & assembly (1% each). However, the prices of microwave oven (3%), earth moving machinery (2%) and lamps, electrical pumps, industrial valves and battery dry cells (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Transport, Equipment & Parts’ group rose by 0.5 percent to 126.8 (Provisional) from 126.2 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of tractors and motor cycle / scooter / moped (2% each) and motor vehicles and auto parts (1% each).  However, the prices of  bus / mini bus / truck (1%) declined.

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

For the month of February, 2012 the final Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05=100) stood at 159.0  as compared to 158.4 (Provisional) and annual rate of inflation based on final index stood at 7.36 percent as compared to 6.95 percent (Provisional) reported on 14.03.2012.

Next date of press release: 14/06/2012 for the month of May, 2012

Annexure-I

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

 DS/GK