Reversing trend, retail inflation inches up to 4.58% in April on costlier cereals, meat, fish and fruits

New Delhi: Reversing a declining trend, retail inflation moved up to 4.58 percent in April owing to hardening in prices of cereals, meat, fish and fruits, government data showed on Monday. The inflation based on Consumer Price Index (CPI), a key data factored in by the Reserve Bank while deciding interest rate, was 4.28 percent in March. CPI inflation was at 2.99 percent in April last year. [caption id=“attachment_4469085” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] The CPI index had been declining since January this year. As per data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the rate of price rise in the protein rich items like meat and fish inched up in April to 3.59 percent, as against the previous month of 3.17 percent. Similarly, the inflation in the fruit basket was higher at 9.65 percent compared to 5.78 percent in the previous month. However, inflation in vegetables segment was lower at 7.29 percent in April compared to 11.7 percent. Overall, inflation in the food basket remained flat at 2.8 percent month-on-month. The CSO data further revealed that inflation in the fuel and light segment also came in lower at 5.24 percent month-on-month basis. Earlier in the day, government data showed that inflation based on wholesale prices shot up to 3.18 percent in April on increasing fuel prices , as well as fruits and vegetables.