WPI food inflation for rural labourers higher than CPI

New Delhi: Wholesale price index (WPI) based food inflation for rural labourers was higher than consumer price index in 2011 and 2012 , Parliament was informed today.

All India annual inflation rates based on CPI for rural labourers of food items stood at 6.39 percent and 6.84 percent in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

However, the WPI of food articles and food products for the respective years were at 7.97 percent and 8.13 percent, the Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation Srikant Kumar Jena said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

However, in 2013 (up to July) WPI=based food inflation was lower at 8.9 percent from CPI based food inflation at 13.41 percent.

“It may be observed…that WPI based inflation is higher than that based on CPI for the years 2011 and 2012 whereas it is lower in the year 2013,” Jena said.

The minister did not give any reason for higher WPI inflation for rural labourers in 2011 and 2012.

WPI inflation increased to a five-month high of 5.79 percent in July, 2013. The rate of price rise was 4.86 percent in June.

While CPI inflation marginally declined to 9.64 percent in July from 9.87 percent in the preceding month as prices of cereal, pulses, fruits and sugar softened.

PTI