Retail inflation hits 5-month high of 3.36% on costlier veggies

New Delhi: Retail inflation rose to a five- month high of 3.36 percent in August due to costlier vegetables and fruits.

The consumer price index (CPI) based inflation stood at 2.36 percent in the previous month.

The August inflation number is the highest since March 2017, when it was recorded at 3.89 percent.

Overall food inflation in August also moved up, reversing the deflationary trend, to 1.52 percent, government data showed on Tuesday.

Daily consumables like fruits and vegetables turned costlier during the month with inflation print coming at 5.29 percent and 6.16 percent, respectively as against 2.83 percent and (-)3.57 percent in July, according to the data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Likewise, prepared meals, snacks and sweets as a category turned dearer with the rate of price rise at 1.96 percent from 0.43 percent in July.

Also, transport and communication means were costlier during the month with inflation rising to 3.71 percent from 1.76 percent in July.

However, items such as cereals and products, meat and fish, oils and fats became cheaper at inflation prints at 3.87 percent, 2.94 percent and 1.03 percent, respectively.