Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices in India (Base: 1993-94=100)

Review for the week ended 11th April 2009

The official Wholesale Price Index for 'All Commodities' (Base: 1993-94 = 100) for the week ended 11th April 2009 rose by 0.3 percent to 228.8 (Provisional) from 228.2 (Provisional) for the previous week. 

The annual rate of inflation, calculated on point to point basis, stood at 0.26 percent (Provisional) for the week ended 11/04/2009 (over 12/04/2008) as compared to 0.18 percent (Provisional) for the previous week (ended 04/04/2009) and 7.95 percent during the corresponding week (ended12/04/2008) of the previous year. 

The movement of the index for the various commodity groups is summarized below:- 

1. PRIMARY ARTICLES (Weight 22.02%) 

The index for this major group rose by 0.5 percent to 248.9 (Provisional) from 247.6 (Provisional) for the previous week. The groups and items for which the index showed variations during the week are as follows:- 

The index for 'Food Articles' group rose by 0.5 percent to 246.8 (Provisional) from 245.6 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of tea (5%), bajra and jowar (3% each), fruits & vegetables (2%) and mutton and maize (1% each). However, the prices of gram and barley (1% each) declined. 

The index for ‘Non-Food Articles' group rose by 0.8 percent to 230.5 (Provisional) from 228.7 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of raw rubber (10%) and groundnut seed (3%). However, the prices of niger seed (5%), fodder and raw silk (2% each) and copra (1%) declined. 

2. FUEL, POWER, LIGHT & LUBRICANTS (Weight 14.23%) 

The index for this major group remained unchanged at its previous week's level of 322.6 (Provisional). 

3. MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS (Weight 63.75%) 

The index for this major group rose by 0.2 percent to 200.9 (Provisional) from 200.5 (Provisional) for the previous week. The groups and items for which the index showed variations during the week are as follows:- 

The index for 'Food Products ' group rose by 0.7 percent to 221.8 (Provisional) from 220.2 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of imported edible oil (5%), oil cakes (3%) and rice bran oil, groundnut oil, salt, gingelly oil, sooji (rawa) and sugar (1% each). However, the prices of rape & mustard oil (4%) and atta (1%) declined. 

The index for 'Textiles' group rose by 0.3 percent to 141.0 (Provisional) from 140.6 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of hessian cloth and synthetic yarn (2% each) and polyster staple fibre and hessian & sacking bags (1% each). 

The index for 'Chemicals & Chemical Products' group rose by 0.05 percent to 214.4 (Provisional) from 214.3 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of p.v.c. resins (4%) and caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) (1%). However, the prices of liquid chlorine (2%) and bopp film (1%) declined. 

The index for 'Non-Metallic Mineral Products' group rose by 0.1 percent to 219.0 (Provisional) from 218.8 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of building bricks (3%). 

The index for 'Basic Metals, Alloys & Metal Products' group rose marginally to 255.2 (Provisional) from 255.1 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of steel ingots, lead ingots and zinc (2% each) and zinc ingots (1%). 

The index for 'Machinery & Machine Tools ' group declined by 0.1 percent to 172.4 (Provisional) from 172.5 (Provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of hydraulic pumps (7%). 

4. FINAL INDEX FOR THE WEEK ENDED 14th February 2009 

For the week ended 14/02/2009, the final wholesale price index for 'All Commodities’ (Base:1993-94=100) stood at 227.4 as compared to 227.8 (Provisional) and annual rate of inflation based on final index, calculated on point to point basis, stood at 3.18 percent as compared to 3.36 percent (Provisional) reported earlier vide press note dated 26/02/2009.