Retail inflation at 4-month high of 2.57% in Feb as food prices rise

New Delhi: Retail inflation jumped to a four-month high of 2.57 per cent in February due to costlier food articles, according to official data released Tuesday.

The Consumer Price Index-based inflation for January was revised down to a 19-month low of 1.97 per cent from earlier estimate of 2.05 per cent.

The retail inflation number for February 2019 is the highest since October 2018 when it stood at 3.38 per cent, the data released by the Central Statistics Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) showed.

Food inflation was lower at (-) 0.66 per cent in February against 3.26 per cent in the same month last year. The retail inflation in February 2018 was at 4.44 per cent.

On monthly basis, consumer food price index moved up by 0.15 per cent in February against January 2019.

Protein-rich items such as meat & fish and eggs witnessed a quick rise prices at 5.92 per cent and 0.86 per cent respectively in February. Prices of cereal and products went up at 1.32 per cent. Prices of fruits (-4.62 per cent) and vegetables (- 7.69 per cent) continued to decline in February. In January, the prices declined 4.18 per cent and 13.32 per cent respectively.

In fuel and light category, the rate of price rise slowed to 1.24 per cent from 2.20 per cent in January.