Vegetables, pulses dearer, but still WPI inflation eases in June
The wholesale price-based inflation rate declined to (-) 4.12 per cent in June on easing prices of food, fuel and manufactured items. The wholesale price index (WPI) based inflation in May was (-) 3.48 per cent. In June last year, it was 16.23 per cent
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The retail markets present a paradox. While the prices of vegetables, particularly tomatoes, and pulses, like tur dal, are skyrocketing, the wholesale price index (WPI) released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry on Friday shows inflation has eased.
The wholesale price-based inflation rate declined to (-) 4.12 per cent in June on easing prices of food, fuel and manufactured items. The wholesale price index (WPI) based inflation in May was (-) 3.48 per cent. In June last year, it was 16.23 per cent.
Inflation in food articles declined to (-) 1.24 per cent in June against (-) 1.59 per cent in May, the Ministry said in a release.
Fuel and power basket inflation eased to (-) 12.63 per cent in June from (-) 9.17 per cent in May. In manufactured products, the inflation rate was (-) 2.71 per cent in the month under review against (-) 2.97 per cent in May.
The decline in the rate of inflation in June 2023 is primarily due to a fall in prices of mineral oils, food products, basic metals, crude petroleum & natural gas and textiles, the release claimed.
On the other hand, the cost of green vegetables is rising rapidly. Tomatoes are selling at Rs 200-250 a kilo, despite the government's efforts to tame its prices were the help of NAFED and NCCF.
Similarly, reports from markets said tur dal (pigeons pea) was being sold at Rs 160-170 a kg in the retail sector, marking a 30-40 per cent hike in just two months, prompting the government to import 12 lakh tonne of the pulse in the current fiscal and impose stock limit on traders to boost domestic availability and contain price rise.
