Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : The official Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2011-12=100) for the month of February, 2020, declined by 0.6% to 122.2 (provisional) from 122.9 (provisional) for the previous month. The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 2.26% (provisional) for the month of February,2020 (over February,2019) as compared to 3.1% (provisional) for the previous month and 2.93% during the corresponding month of the previous year.
The build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 1.92% compared to a build up rate of 2.75% in the corresponding period of the previous year.
Primary Articles ( Weight 22.62%) : The index for this major group declined by 2.8% to 143.1 (provisional) from 147.2 (provisional) for the previous month. The index for ‘Food Articles’ group declined by 3.7% to 154.9 (provisional) from 160.8 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of fruits & vegetables (14%), tea (8%), egg and maize (7% each), condiments & spices and bajra (4% each), gram and jowar (2% each) and fish-inland, pork, ragi, wheat, urad and masur (1% each). However, the price of beef and buffalo meat and fish-marine (5% each), betel leaves (4%), moong and poultry chicken (3% each), mutton (2%) and barley, rajma and arhar (1% each) moved up.
The index for ‘ Non-Food Articles’ group declined by 0.4% to 131.6 (provisional) from 132.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of safflower (kardi seed) (7%), soyabean (6%), cotton seed (4%), castor seed, niger seed and linseed (3% each), gaur seed, rape & mustard seed and fodder (2% each) and raw cotton and mesta (1% each). However, the price of raw silk (7%), floriculture (5%), groundnut seed and raw jute (3% each), gingelly seed (sesamum) (2%) and skins (raw), coir fibre and raw rubber (1% each) moved up.
The index for ‘Minerals’ group rose by 3.5% to 147.6 (provisional) from 142.6 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of iron ore (7%), phosphorite and copper concentrate (4% each), limestone (3%). However, the price of chromite and bauxite (3% each), lead concentrate and zinc concentrate (2% each) and manganese ore (1%) declined.
The index for ‘Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas’ group declined by 1.5% to 87.0 (provisional) from 88.3 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of crude petroleum (2%).
Fuel & Power ( Weight 13.15 %) : The index for this major group rose by 1.2% to 103.9 (provisional) from 102.7 (provisional) for the previous month.
The index for ‘Mineral Oils’ group declined by 1.2% to 92.4 (provisional) from 93.5 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of naphtha (7%), HSD (4%), petrol (3%). However, the price of LPG (15%), petroleum coke (6%), furnace oil and bitumen (4% each), kerosene (2%) and lube oils (1%) moved up.
The index for ‘Electricity’ group rose by 7.2% to 117.9 (provisional) from 110.0 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of electricity (7%), according to a PIB release.
Manufactured Products ( Weight 64.23%) : The index for this major group rose by 0.2% to 118.7 (provisional) from 118.5 (provisional) for the previous month.
The index for ‘Manufacture of Food Products’ group declined by 0.9% to 136.9 (provisional) from 138.2 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of manufacture of health supplements (5%), rice bran oil, rapeseed oil and processed tea (4% each), gur, cotton seed oil and manufacture of prepared animal feeds (3% each), chicken/duck, dressed – fresh/frozen, copra oil, mustard oil, castor oil, sunflower oil and sooji (rawa ) (2% each) and vanaspati, maida, rice products, gram powder (besan), palm oil, manufacture of macaroni, noodles, couscous and similar farinaceous products, sugar, coffee powder with chicory, wheat flour (atta), manufacture of starches and starch products and other meats, preserved/processed (1% each).
However, the price of molasses (4%), buffalo meat, fresh/frozen (2%) and spices (including mixed spices), processing and preserving of fish, crustaceans and molluscs and products thereof, ice cream, condensed milk, groundnut oil and salt (1% each) moved up.
The index for ‘Manufacture of Beverages’ group rose by 0.1% to 124.1 (provisional) from 124.0 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of wine, country liquor, rectified spirit and beer (1% each). However, the price of aerated drinks/soft drinks (incl. soft drink concentrates) and bottled mineral water (1% each) declined.
The index for ‘Manufacture of Tobacco Products’ group rose by 2.1% to 154.2 (provisional) from 151.0 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of cigarette (4%) and other tobacco products (1%).
The index for ‘Manufacture of Textiles’ group rose by 0.3% to 116.7 (provisional) from 116.4 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of weaving & finishing of textiles and manufacture of other textiles (1% each).