WPI inflation rises to 1.32% in September mainly on costlier food articles

The wholesale price-based inflation rose to 1.32 per cent in September mainly on the back of costlier food articles.

“The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 1.32 per cent (provisional) for the month of September, 2020 (over September, 2019) as compared to 0.33 per cent during the corresponding month of the previous year,” government data showed on Wednesday.

The wholesale price-based inflation stood at 0.16 per cent in August.

The wholesale price index based (WPI) inflation was in the negative territory for four straight months -- April (-) 1.57 per cent, May (-) 3.37 per cent, June (-) 1.81 per cent and July (-) 0.58 per cent.

Inflation in food articles during the month was at 8.17 per cent, as against 3.84 per cent in August, showed the data from the commerce and industry ministry.

Prices of cereals came down with a negative inflation print of 3.91 per cent during the month, while, cost of pulses went up by 12.53 per cent.

Vegetables as a category had inflation at a high level of 36.54 per cent in September, potato price skyrocketed by 107.63 per cent from a year-ago period. However, onions had deflation at 31.64 per cent.

In the manufactured products category, the inflation during the month rose to 1.61 per cent, from 1.27 per cent a month ago, the government data said.