The annual Wholesale Price Index-based inflation declined 0.21 per cent during the week ended August 22, its twelfth successive fall in as many weeks, according to the data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The year-on-year inflation rate had fallen 0.95 per cent during the preceding week.

The latest week’s inflation estimate was distorted by the base effect of last year, when inflation had surged 12.76 per cent. Despite the negative headline inflation, however, food articles’ inflation rose by 14.5 per cent on a year-on-year basis during the latest week.

The official WPI for ‘All Commodities’ for the latest week rose by 0.8 per cent to 240.7 points from 238.8 points for the previous week.

The 52-week average inflation for the week ended August 22 was 3.9 per cent.

On a disaggregated basis, the Primary Articles Group index rose by 0.7 per cent as the index for ‘Food Articles’ group rose by 0.9 per cent due to higher inflation in fruits and vegetables (4 per cent), jowar, urad and bajra (3 per cent each), maize and arhar (2 per cent each) and moong and tea (1 per cent each).

However, the prices of barley (3 per cent) and coffee and ragi (1 per cent each) declined.

The index for ‘Non-Food Articles’ group rose by 0.3 per cent due to higher inflation in the case of sunflower (3 per cent), raw silk (2 per cent) and groundnut seed, castor seed and raw rubber (1 per cent each).

However, the prices of copra and fodder (1 per cent each) declined.

The index for ‘Minerals’ group rose by 0.5 per cent to 564.4 points from 561.7 points for the previous week due to higher prices of barytes (34 per cent) and iron ore (1 per cent). However, the prices of steatite (7 per cent) and felspar (3 per cent) declined.

The Fuel and Power index rose by 1.5 per cent due to higher inflation in aviation turbine fuel and electricity (5 per cent each) and furnace oil (1 per cent).

The Manufactured Products index rose by 0.5 per cent as the index for ‘Food Products’ group rose by 3.1 per cent due to higher prices of rice bran oil (8 per cent), sugar (7 per cent), oil cakes (5 per cent), imported edible oil (4 per cent) and butter and ghee (1 per cent each). However, the prices of gingelly oil (3 per cent) declined.

The index for ‘Textiles’ group declined by 0.3 per cent due to lower prices of texturised yarn and hessian cloth (3 per cent each) and hessian and sacking bags (1 per cent).

The index for ‘Rubber and Plastic Products ’ group rose by 0.2 per cent due to higher prices of plastic items (6 per cent), PVC fitting and accessories (3 per cent).

The index for the ‘Chemicals and Chemical Products’ group declined by 0.7 per cent due to lower prices of ammonium sulphate (15 per cent).

However, the prices of PVC resins and purified terephthalic acid (4 per cent each) moved up.

The index for ‘Non-Metallic Mineral Products’ group declined by 0.4 per cent due to lower prices of cement (1 per cent).

The index for ‘Base Metals Alloys and Metal Products’ group rose by 0.2 per cent due to higher prices of zinc (4 per cent), pipes and tubes, foundry pig iron and basic pig iron (2 per cent each) and steel sheets, plates and strips (1 per cent).