NEW DELHI: Wholesale price inflation jumped to a four-month high in Oct as
food prices
, led by vegetables, shot up, posing a fresh challenge for authorities battling stubborn price pressures.
Data released by the commerce & industry ministry on Thursday showed inflation, as measured by the
wholesale price index
(WPI), rose an annual 2.4% in Oct, higher than the 1.8% in Sept. The ministry said inflation in Oct is primarily due to the increase in prices of food articles,
manufactured food products
, other manufacturing, manufacture of machinery and equipment, manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers, among others.
Inflation in vegetables rose an annual 63% during the month, while potato price shot up 78.7%. The pace of price increase in onions moderated as it rose by 39.3%, slower than the 67.4% in Oct last year.
Inflation in food articles soared to double digits, rising by 13.5%, way above the 3.2% in Oct 2023. Within the manufactured product group, vegetable and animal oils and fats shot up 20.2% from a contraction of 18.4% last year. Stubborn
food inflation
, particularly in vegetables, edible oils and some cereals, has hurt household budgets.
