WPI inflation rises to 13.11% in February

The wholesale price-based inflation grew at 13.11 per cent in February as food prices hardened, the government said on Monday. 

WPI inflation has remained in double digits for the eleventh consecutive month beginning April 2021. Inflation in January 2022 was 12.96 per cent while in December 2021, it was 13.56 per cent. 

"The high rate of inflation in February 2022 is primarily due to rise in prices of mineral oils, basic metals, chemicals and chemical products, crude petroleum & natural gas, food articles and non-food articles etc. as compared to the corresponding month of the previous year," the governments said in a statement.

Meanwhile, inflation in food articles basket in February came in at 8.19%, tad lower from the 10.33% growth witnessed in the month before. Inflation in vegetable prices moderated to 26.93% after having surged to 38.45% in January from 31.56% in December.

Wholesale prices of onion fell 26.37% while potato prices rose 14.78% after having fallen 14.45% in the month before. Prices of eggs, meat & fish rose 8.14% while wheat prices witnessed 11.03% rise.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had in its February monetary policy meeting kept its key repo rate -- at which it lends short-term money to banks -- unchanged for the 10th time in a row at 4 per cent, to support growth as well as manage the inflationary pressures.