Retail inflation for farm, rural workers rise to 4.78%, 5.03% in December

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Retail inflation for farm and rural workers rose to 4.78 percent and 5.03 percent respectively in December 2021, mainly due to higher price of certain food items, official data showed on Thursday. "Point to point rate of inflation based on the CPI-AL (consumer price index for agricultural labour) and CPI-RL (rural labourers) stood at 4.78 per cent & 5.03 per cent in December, 2021 compared to 3.02 per cent & 3.38 per cent respectively in November, 2021 and 3.25 per cent and 3.34 per cent respectively during the corresponding month of the previous year (December 2020)," a labour ministry statement said.

Food inflation stood at 2.99 percent (farm labour) and 3.17 percent (rural labour) in December 2021, compared to 0.88 percent and 1.07 percent respectively in November 2021, and 2.97 percent and 2.96 percent during the corresponding month of 2020. The All-India Consumer Price Index numbers for agricultural labourers and rural labourers for December 2021 increased by 5 points each to stand at 1,097 and 1,106 points respectively.

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The CPI-AL and CPI-RL stood at 1,092 points and 1,101 points respectively in November 2021. The major contribution towards the rise in general index of agricultural labourers and rural labourers came from 'fuel and light' and miscellaneous group to the extent of 1.72 and 1.58 points, and 1.02 and 1.06 points respectively, mainly due to rise in prices of firewood, kerosene oil, medicine, barber charges, bus fare, toilet soap, washing soap, etc.

The rise/fall in the index varied from state to state. In case of agricultural labourers, it recorded an increase of 1 to 20 points in 11 states and a decrease of 1 to 12 points in 8 states, while it remained stationary for Odisha. Tamil Nadu with 1,290 points topped the index table, whereas Himachal Pradesh with 861 points stood at the bottom.

In case of rural labourers, it recorded an increase of 1 to 20 points in 11 states and a decrease of 1 to 14 points in 8 states, while it remained stationary for Odisha. Tamil Nadu with 1,276 points topped the index table, whereas Himachal Pradesh with 915 points was at the bottom. Among states, the maximum increase in the Consumer Price Index numbers for agricultural and rural labourers was experienced by Tamil Nadu (20 points each), mainly due to rising prices of vegetables and fruits, onion, chillies green/dry, tamarind, etc.

On the contrary, the maximum decrease in the Consumer Price Index numbers for agricultural and rural labourers was experienced by Himachal Pradesh (12 points and 14 points respectively), mainly due to a fall in the prices of wheat atta, pulses, onion, vegetables and fruits etc.