Inflation declines to 4.6 per cent

Inflation has been declining since February 27 when it was 5.26 per cent.

Only exception was March 27 when it increased from 4.96 per cent to 5.04 per cent. The current decline is mainly on account of cheaper non-food articles and food products. The index for 8220;all commodities8221; Base: 1981-82 =100, however, increased by 0.2 per cent to 354.7 provisional as against 354.1 P in the previous week. Meanwhile, inflation based on the final index for the week ended February 6, the latest available, stood at 5.0 per cent compared to 4.7 per cent based on the provisional index. Compared to inflation based onWPI, the rate of increase in prices based on consumer price index for industrial workers CPI-IW, which is more reflective of retail prices, stood much higher at 8.64 per cent in February. CPI-IW inflation had stood at 15.3 per cent in December last.

Items which saw substantial fluctuation during the week were fruits and vegetables up 7 per cent, bajra up 6 per cent, copra up 3 per cent, malted food up 7 per cent, hair oils up 6 per cent, tyres up 12 per cent, cotton seed oil down 11 per cent, PVC resins down 18 per cent and lineseed down 6 per cent. Indices for 8220;fuel, power, light and lubricants8221; and 8220;manufactured products8221; remained unchanged during the reference week as against the previous week. Index for primary articles, however, increased by 0.5 per cent. Index for primary articles rose to 381.8 points provisional as compared to 380.8 P in the previous week. Food articles8217; index went up by 0.9 per cent to 443.0 from 439.2 as prices of fruits and vegetables 7 per cent,bajra 6 per cent and jowar, maize, arhar, masur, fish and tea 1 per cent each increased during the week.

However, condiments and spices 3 per cent each, wheat 2 per cent and rice, barley, ragi, milk and eggs 1 each were cheaper during the review week. The index for non-food articles declined by 0.2 per cent to 382.2 points from 383.0 as the prices of lineseed 6 per cent, castor seed and kardi seed 3 per cent, rape and mustard seed 2 and soyabean 1 per cent eased during the week.