New Delhi, July 20: A sharp 23 per cent price fall in fruits could bring only a marginal 0.17 per cent dip in inflation to 5.15 per cent for the week ended July 05 since costlier fuels and manufactured products dampened the spirits for a substantial fall in general price level. The wholesale price index (WPI) inflation fell from the previous week's figure of 5.32 per cent, but it was only 2.48 per cent in the year-ago period, indicating the extent of rise in cost of living for an average household.
WPI declined by 0.2 per cent to 173.7 points with mass consumption primary articles becoming cheaper bringing respite to public, who were, otherwise, hit by the surge in prices of edible oils.
Belying the reports that inflation had fallen below six per cent during the week ended May 10, the final inflation for the week indeed ruled high at 6.76 per cent as compared to the provisional level of 5.9 per cent. Final WPI stood corrected at 173.8 points during the second week of May as against the provisional level of 172.4 points.
A sharp near two per cent dip in primary articles' group index to 182.1 points was brought about by a around three per cent price fall in food articles, despite marginal increase in the price of non-food items and the index was 170.5 points in the year-ago period.
Food articles' group became cheaper owing to price dip in the composite group of fruits and vegetables (12 per cent), eggs (four per cent), tea and barley (two per cent each) and maize (one per cent), despite costlier urad and moong (two per cent each) and poultry chicken, condiments and spices, gram and arhar (one per cent each). Bureau Report