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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vegetables as a category had inflation at a high level of 36.54 percent in September, potato price skyrocketed by 107.63 percent from a year-ago period.

However, onions had deflation at 31.64 percent.

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