The official Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05 = 100) for the month March, 2013 rose by 0.2 percent to 170.6 (provisional) from 170.2 (provisional) for the previous month.

INFLATION

The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 5.96% (provisional) for the month of March, 2013 (over March, 2012) as compared to 6.84% (provisional) for the previous month and 7.69% during the corresponding month of the previous year. Build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 5.96% compared to a build up rate of 7.69% 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 0.4 percent to 223.6 (provisional) from 222.7 (provisional) for the previous month. The groups and items for which the index showed variations during the month are as follows:-

The index for ‘Non-Food Articles’ group rose by 0.6 percent to 206.9 (provisional) from 205.6 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of logs & timber (16%), soyabean (11%), raw rubber (7%), mesta and gingelly seed (5% each) and raw cotton, raw silk and raw jute (4% each). However, the prices of flower (18%), rape & mustard seed (9%), copra (coconut) and fodder (3% each) and groundnut seed and guar seed (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Minerals’ group rose by 2.1 percent to 357.4 (provisional) from 350.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of zinc concentrate (5%), iron ore (4%), crude petroleum (2%) and copper ore (1%). However, the prices of magnesite (7%), sillimanite (6%), manganese ore and barytes (3% each) and chromite (1%) declined.

FUEL & POWER (Weight 14.91%)

The index for this major group rose by 0.4 percent to 195.9 (provisional) from 195.2 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of aviation turbine fuel (4%), high speed diesel and lignite (2% each). However, the prices of naphtha and light diesel oil (2% each) and petrol (1%) declined.

MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS (Weight 64.97%)

The index for this major group rose by 0.1 percent to 148.4 (provisional) from 148.2 (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 declined by 0.5 percent to 164.9 (provisional) from 165.7 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of sunflower oil (7%), cotton seed oil (5%), mustard & rapeseed oil (4%), tea leaf (unblended), groundnut oil, tea leaf (blended) and soyabean oil (3% each), processed prawn and canned fish (2 % each) and sugar, tea dust (unblended), palm oil, copra oil, tea dust (blended) and sugar confectionary (1% each). However, the prices of oil cakes and wheat flour (atta) (4% each), gingelly oil and bakery products (3% each), salt   (2%) and mixed spices, gur, sooji (rawa) and gola (cattle feed) (1% each) moved up.

The index for ‘Beverages, Tobacco & Tobacco Products’ group declined by 0.4 percent to 178.1 (provisional) from 178.8 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of dried tobacco (4%) and beer and rectified spirit (1 % each).

The index for ‘Textiles’ group declined by 0.3 percent to 132.7 (provisional) from 133.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of jute sacking bag and man made fibre (1% each). However, the prices of   cotton yarn (1%) moved up.

The index for ‘Wood & Wood Products’ group declined by 0.1 percent to 173.5 (provisional) from 173.7 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of wooden chair and veneer wood (3% each).

The index for ‘Paper & Paper Products’ group rose by 1.2 percent to 140.0 (provisional) from 138.3 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of books/ periodicals/ journals (5%), newspaper (3%), paper cartons / boxes (2%) and maplitho paper, paper for printing / poster and printing and writing paper (1% each). However, the prices of card board (1%) declined.

The index for ‘Leather & Leather Products’ group rose by 0.4 percent to 134.3 (provisional) from 133.8 (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 139.4 (provisional) from 139.0 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of rubber foot wear (3%), polyester film (2%) and plastic/pvc pipe (1%).

The index for ‘Chemicals & Chemical Products’ group rose by 0.4 percent to 145.5 (provisional) from 144.9 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of thermocol (8%), polymers (3%), basic organic chemicals and pesticides (2% each) and antibiotics, castor oil, vitamins and tooth paste / tooth powder (1% each). However, the prices of safety matches/ match box (6%), synthetic resin (2%) and non-cyclic compound and hair / body oils   (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Non-Metallic Mineral Products’ group rose by 1.8 percent to 167.7 (provisional) from 164.8 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of marbles (19%), white cement (3%) and grey cement   (2%).

The index for ‘Basic Metals, Alloys & Metal Products’ group declined by 0.1 percent to 164.8 (provisional) from 165.0 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of silver, utensils (other than aluminium) and pig iron (3% each), sheets (2%) and steel castings, slab, furniture and metal containers (1% each). However, the prices of steel structures (6%), lead (5%), melting scrap (2%) and steel rods, pressure cooker, zinc and iron & steel wire (1% each) moved up.

The index for ‘Machinery & Machine Tools’ group rose by 0.2 percent to 129.5 (provisional) from 129.3 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of fibre optic cable (9%), electric switch gears and   electric generators (2%) and plastic machinery, boiler & accessories, engines, concrete vibrator & mixture, heating elements and rubber machinery (1% each). However, the prices of control equipments and ball/roller bearing (1% each) declined.

The index for ‘Transport, Equipment & Parts’ group rose by 0.8 percent to 132.3 (provisional) from 131.3 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher prices of bus / mini bus / truck (4%).

FINAL INDEX FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY , 2013 (BASE YEAR: 2004-05=100)

For the month of January, 2013, the final Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05=100) stood at 170.3 as compared to 169.2 (provisional) and annual rate of inflation based on final index stood at 7.31 percent as compared to 6.62 percent respectively as reported on 14.02.2013.

Next date of press release: 14/05/2013 for the month of April, 2013

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

This press release is available at our home page http://eaindustry.nic.in

Annexure-I

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

DS/RK

(Release ID :94679)