Wholesale Price

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) grew to 3.59 per cent (provisional) for the month of October, 2017 as compared to 2.60 per cent (provisional) for the previous month, thus registering a growth of one per cent.

The index for 'Food Articles' group rose by 2.2 per cent to 148.0 (provisional) from 144.8 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of fruits and vegetables (9 per cent), tea (5 per cent), poultry chicken (3 per cent) and paddy (1 per cent each). However, the price of betel leaves (9 per cent), ragi (7 per cent), gram and bajra (5 per cent each) declined.

Meanwhile, the index for 'Non-Food Articles' group declined by 0.9 per cent to 119.2 (provisional) from 120.3 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of raw cotton (5 per cent), fodder, mesta and cotton seed (3 per cent each), raw rubber, safflower (kardi seed) and castor seed (2 per cent each).

However, the price of floriculture (8 per cent), raw wool and raw silk (2 per cent each) and soyabean (1 per cent each) moved up.

On the Fuel and Power front, the index rose by 3.1 per cent to 93.5 (provisional) from 90.7 (provisional) for the previous month.

The index for 'Mineral Oils' group rose by 3.9 percent to 82.2 (provisional) from 79.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of LPG (9 per cent), naphtha, petroleum coke and ATF (8 per cent each), furnace oil (7 per cent), kerosene (5 per cent) and bitumen, HSD and petrol (2 per cent each).

The index for 'Electricity' group rose by four percent to 106.1 (provisional) from 102.0 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of electricity (4 per cent).

The index for 'Manufacture of Tobacco Products' group declined by 1.3 per cent to 148.9 (provisional) from 150.9 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of cigarette (five percent) and other tobacco products (two percent). However, the price of beedi was up by 4 per cent.

The index for 'Manufacture of Textiles' group declined by 0.2 per cent to 113.2 (provisional) from 113.4 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of cotton yarn (2 per cent) and woollen yarn (1 per cent). However, the price of manufacture of knitted and crocheted fabrics (2 per cent) and synthetic yarn (1 per cent) moved up.

The index for 'Manufacture of Wearing Apparel' group rose by 0.4 per cent to 137.1 (provisional) from 136.6 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of manufacture of knitted and crocheted apparel (2 per cent).

The rate of inflation based on WPI Food Index consisting of 'Food Articles' from Primary Articles group and 'Food Product' from Manufactured Products group increased from 1.99 per cent in September to 3.23 per cent in October, 2017.