The official Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05 = 100) for the month February, 2013 rose by 0.6 percent to 170.2 (Provisional) from 169.2 (Provisional) for the previous month.

INFLATION

The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 6.84% (Provisional) for the month of February, 2013 (over February, 2012) as compared to 6.62% (Provisional) for the previous month and 7.56% during the corresponding month of the previous year. Build up inflation in the financial year so far was 5.71% compared to a build up of 6.56% 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 0.6 percent to 222.7 (Provisional) from 221.4 (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 0.2 percent to 214.3 (Provisional) from 213.8 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of masur (8%), ragi (7%), poultry chicken (6%), fish-inland (4%), jowar (3%),     urad, condiments & spices, barley, fish-marine, arhar and rice (2% each) and egg, mutton, maize and wheat (1% each). However, the prices of gram (7%), coffee (6%) and fruits & vegetables and tea (2% each) declined.

The index for `Non-Food Articles` group rose by 1.6 percent to 205.6 (Provisional) from 202.3 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of flowers (20%), raw jute (9%), fodder (7%), guar seed (6%), mesta (5%),     raw cotton (4%), logs & timber (3%), groundnut seed (2%) and soyabean (1%). However, the prices of rape & mustard seed (6 %), raw silk (5%), copra, castor seed and raw rubber (3% each), sunflower, gingelly seed and cotton seed (2% each) and coir fibre (1%) declined.

The index for `Minerals` group rose by 0.9 percent to 350.1 (Provisional) from 347.0 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of copper ore (14%), barytes (11%), magnesite and steatite (7% each), zinc concentrate and dolomite (5% each) and crude petroleum (2%). However, the prices of iron ore (5%) declined.

FUEL & POWER (Weight 14.91%)

The index for this major group rose by 3.0 percent to 195.2 (Provisional) from 189.5 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of lpg (21%), furnace oil (7%), lubricants (5%), high speed diesel (4%), light diesel oil and bitumen (3% each), petrol and aviation turbine fuel (2% each) and kerosene (1%).

MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS (Weight 64.97%)

The index for this major group declined by 0.1 percent to 148.2 (Provisional) from 148.3 (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 Products` group declined by 0.1 percent to 165.7 (Provisional) from 165.9 (Provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of cotton seed oil (7%), canned fish (5%), bakery products (4%), tea leaf (blended), groundnut oil and mixed spices (2% each) and oil cakes, sugar, rice bran oil and mustard & rapeseed oil (1% each). However, the prices of tea leaf (unblended) (14%), tea dust (unblended) and gola (cattle feed) (6% each), sooji (rawa) (5%), palm oil and gingelly oil (2% each) and sunflower oil, sugar confectionary, copra oil, gur and soyabean oil (1% each) moved up.

The index for `Beverages, Tobacco & Tobacco Products` group rose by 1.0 percent to 178.8 (Provisional) from 177.0 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of dried tobacco (11%) and rectified spirit, soft drinks & carbonated water and imfl - blended (1% each).

The index for `Textiles` group declined by 0.2 percent to 133.1 (Provisional) from 133.4 (Provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of woollen textiles (2%) and man made fabric (1%). However, the prices of   cotton yarn, jute sacking bag, gunny and hessian cloth, jute yarn, man made fibre and tyre cord fabric (1% each) moved up.

The index for `Wood & Wood Products` group declined by 0.4 percent to 173.7 (Provisional) from 174.4 (Provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of plywood & fibre board (1%).

The index for `Paper & Paper Products` group rose by 0.4 percent to 138.3 (Provisional) from 137.8 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of paper rolls, cream laid woven paper, paper cartons / boxes, paper for printing / poster, maplitho paper and laminated paper (1% each). However, the prices of paper pulp (8%) declined.

The index for `Leather & Leather Products` group declined by 1.4 percent to 133.8 (Provisional) from 135.7 (Provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of leather footwear (3%).

The index for `Rubber & Plastic Products` group rose by 0.5 percent to 139.0 (Provisional) from 138.3 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of plastic products (1%). However, the prices of tyres (1%) declined.

The index for `Non-Metallic Mineral Products` group rose by 0.9 percent to 164.8 (Provisional) from 163.3 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of grey cement, bricks & tiles and glass bottles & bottleware (1%). However, the prices of slag cement (3%) and polished granite, white cement, marbles and lime   (1% each) declined.

The index for `Basic Metals, Alloys & Metal Products` group declined by 0.6 percent to 165.0 (Provisional) from 166.0 (Provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of steel structures (10%), pencil ingots (7%), iron castings and pig iron (3% each), sponge iron, gold & gold ornaments, silver and billets (2% each) and ferro chrome,     metal containers, rounds, zinc, iron & steel wire and wire rods (1% each). However, the prices of melting scrap (8 %), steel castings and copper wire (all types) (4% each), sheets (3%) and pressure cooker, crc, brass and angles       (1% each) moved up.

The index for `Machinery & Machine Tools` group rose by 0.2 percent to 129.3 (Provisional) from 129.1 (Provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of pump & assembly (4%), material handling equipments   (3%), lamps (2%) and air conditioner & refrigerators, textile machinery, control equipments and electric motor starters (1% each). However, the prices of ball/roller bearing (3%) and hydraulic equipment (2%) declined.

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

For the month of December, 2012, the final Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05=100) stood at 168.8 as compared to 168.6 (provisional) and annual rate of inflation based on final index stood at 7.31 percent as compared to 7.18 percent respectively as reported on 14.01.2013.

Annexure-I

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

Annexure-II

Trend of Rate of Inflation for some important items during last six months

DS/RK

(Release ID :93638)