Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Commerce & Industry

14-June-2012 12:14 IST

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

The official Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05 = 100) for the month May, 2012 rose by 0.5 percent to 163.9 (Provisional) from 163.1 (Provisional) for the previous month.

INFLATION

The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 7.55% (Provisional) for the month of May, 2012 (over May, 2011) as compared to 7.23% (Provisional) for the previous month and 9.56% during the corresponding month of the previous year. Build up inflation in the financial year so far was 1.80% compared to a build up of 1.94% 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 0.1 percent to 216.1 (Provisional) from 215.9 (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 declined by 0.1 percent to 206.3 (Provisional) from 206.4 (Provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of condiments & spices (4%), fruits & vegetables, beef & buffalo meat and coffee (3% each) and maize (2%).  However, the prices of tea (33%), poultry chicken (8%), masur (6%),      gram (5%), arhar (3%), wheat, ragi and jowar (2% each) and barley, pork, mutton, fish-inland, rice and milk (1 % each) moved up.

The index for 'Non-Food Articles' group rose by 1.7 percent to 198.6 (Provisional) from 195.3 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of soyabean and safflower (11% each), niger seed (7%), gaur seed  (6%),      raw silk and rape & mustard seed (4% each), sunflower (3%), groundnut seed and raw cotton (2% each) and       gingelly seed  and linseed (1% each).  However, the prices of logs & timber (8%), castor seed (6%), copra (5%),      raw jute and coir fibre (2% each) and fodder, flowers, raw rubber and mesta (1% each) declined.

The index for 'Minerals' group declined by 1.4 percent to 357.0 (Provisional) from 362.1 (Provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of barytes (5%),  iron ore and copper ore (3% each) and zinc concentrate,      steatite and crude petroleum (1% each).  However, the prices of gypsum (16%), sillimanite (3%) and       chromite and magnesite (1% each) moved up.

FUEL & POWER (Weight 14.91%)

The index for this major group rose by 1.0 percent to 178.9 (Provisional) from 177.1 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of petrol (3%), bitumen (2%) and lubricants (1%).  However, the prices of      light diesel oil (4%) and furnace oil, aviation turbine fuel and naphtha (1% each) declined.

MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS (Weight 64.97%)

The index for this major group rose by 0.5 percent to 144.3 (Provisional) from 143.6 (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 0.9 percent to 157.1 (Provisional) from 155.7 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of gur (8%), tea dust (blended) and cotton seed oil (6% each), oil cakes,     vanaspati and groundnut oil (3% each), khandsari and gola (cattle feed) (2% each) and sugar, mixed spices, tea dust (unblended), tea leaf (blended) and soyabean oil (1% each).  However, the prices of powder milk (5%),     rice bran oil and processed prawn (2% each) and tea leaf (unblended), wheat flour (atta) and gingelly oil (1 % each) declined.

The index for 'Beverages, Tobacco & Tobacco Products' group rose by 0.1 percent to 170.0 (Provisional) from 169.8 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of zarda and dried tobacco (2% each).  However, the prices of soft drinks & carbonated water (1%) declined.

The index for 'Textiles' group rose by 0.8 percent to 129.2 (Provisional) from 128.2 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of tyre cord fabric (2%) and jute sacking bag, gunny and hessian cloth, woollen textiles,  cotton fabric,  jute sacking cloth, cotton yarn and man made fibre (1% each). However, the prices of      jute yarn (1%) declined.

The index for 'Wood & Wood Products' group rose by 1.0 percent to 166.8 (Provisional) from 165.2 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of plywood & fibre board (2%).

The index for 'Paper & Paper Products' group rose by 1.1 percent to 134.1 (Provisional) from 132.6 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of newspaper (10%), paper cartons / boxes (2%) and books/ periodicals/ journals,  paper rolls and cream  laid woven paper (1% each).  However, the prices of paper pulp     (4 %) declined.

The index for 'Leather & Leather Products' group rose by 0.5 percent to 132.6 (Provisional) from 132.0 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of leather footwear (1%).

The index for 'Rubber & Plastic Products' group rose by 0.1 percent to 135.4 (Provisional) from 135.3 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of hdpe woven fabric (4%), plastic films & sheets, plastic bottles, plastic cabinet and plastic /pvc chappals (2% each).  However, the prices of rubber products (1 %) declined.

The index for 'Chemicals & Chemical Products' group rose by 0.8 percent to 140.7 (Provisional) from 139.6 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of synthetic resin (9%), turpentine oil (3%), washing soap,  distemper, washing powder and pesticides (2% each) and toilet soap, thinner, non-cyclic compound,     antibiotics and basic inorganic chemicals (1% each).  However, the prices of hair / body oils (2%) declined.

The index for 'Non-Metallic Mineral Products' group declined by 0.1 percent to 160.2 (Provisional) from 160.3 (Provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of pressed glass ware and concrete poles & posts (3% each) and grey cement (1%).  However, the prices of slag cement (5%), white cement (4%), asbestos corrugated sheet (2%) and glass bottles & bottleware, bricks & tiles and railway sleeper (1% each) moved up.

The index for 'Basic Metals, Alloys & Metal Products' group rose by 0.3 percent to 165.8 (Provisional) from 165.3 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of metal containers and steel rods (3% each), ferro chrome, iron castings, iron & steel wire and pipes/tubes/rods/strips (2% each) and gold & gold ornaments,     brass, steel castings, wire rods, gp/gc sheets, hrc, sheets and aluminium (1% each).  However, the prices of      melting scrap, lead and silver (3% each), copper wire and pencil ingots (2% each) and steel: pipes & tubes and sponge iron (1% each) declined.

The index for 'Machinery & Machine Tools' group rose by 0.2 percent to 126.6 (Provisional) from 126.4 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of rice mill machinery (12%), food/beverages/toacco processing machinery (11%), thresher (5%), ball/roller bearing (4%), textile machinery (3%), fluorescent tubes, conductor and pump & assembly (2% each) and engines, electric switches, loader, electric switch gears, lifts, machine tools and lamps (1% each).  However, the prices of coupling (7%), control equipments (5%), electronic pcb /micro circuit and microwave oven (3% each), electric motors (2%) and batteries, grinding /wet coffee machinery and electric motor starters (1% each) declined.

The index for 'Transport, Equipment & Parts' group rose by 0.2 percent to 127.1 (Provisional) from 126.8 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of shafts (all kinds) (4%), railway brake gear (3%) and      motor cycle / scooter / moped and auto parts (1% each).

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

For the month of March, 2012 the final Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05=100) stood at 161.0 as compared to 159.8 (Provisional) and annual rate of inflation based on final index stood at 7.69 percent as compared to 6.89 percent (Provisional) reported on 16.04.2012.

Next date of press release: 16/07/2012 for the month of June, 2012

Annexure-I

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

****

DS