India’s WPI inflation spikes to 11.39% in August: Govt data

“The high rate of inflation in August 2021 is primarily due to rise in prices of non-food articles, mineral oils; crude petroleum & natural gas; manufactured products like basic metals; food products; textiles; chemicals and chemical products etc as compared the corresponding month of the previous year,” the ministry statement said.

The food articles segment witnessed a (-)1.29 per cent change in August, the data showed. In the month prior to that, this was zero per cent.

Vegetable prices contracted (-)13.30 per cent in August, against (-) 8.73 per cent in July, the data showed. prices of potato fell (-)39.81 per cent while that of onions grew 62.78 per cent. Apart from this, prices of pulses grew 9.41 per cent last month, while that of fruits slipped (-)5.10 per cent. Eggs, meat and fish prices rose 3.46 per cent in August.

The fuel and power segment inched to 26.09 per cent in August from 26.02 per cent a month ago. Petrol prices rose by 61.53 per cent, HSD (High-Speed Diesel) gained by 50.69 per cent and LPG prices inched by 48.11 per cent.

The manufactured products segment rose 11.39 per cent last month led by a 40.49 per cent jump in vegetable and animal oils and fats.

In separate data released by the government on Monday, the retail inflation or consumer price index (CPI) eased to a four-month low of 5.30 per cent in August.