Retail inflation hits 5-mth high on costlier veggies

Items such as cereals and products, meat and fish, oils and fats became cheaper

Retail inflation rose to a five-month high of 3.36 per cent in August due to costlier vegetables and fruits.

The consumer price index (CPI) based inflation stood at 2.36 per cent in the previous month.

The August inflation number is the highest since March 2017, when it was recorded at 3.89 per cent.

Overall food inflation in August also moved up, reversing the deflationary trend, to 1.52 per cent, government data showed on Tuesday.

Daily consumables like fruits and vegetables turned costlier during the month with inflation print coming at 5.29 per cent and 6.16 per cent, respectively as against 2.83 per cent and (-)3.57 per cent in July, according to the data released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Likewise, prepared meals, snacks and sweets as a category turned dearer with the rate of price rise at 1.96 per cent from 0.43 per cent in July.

Also, transport and communication means were costlier during the month with inflation rising to 3.71 per cent from 1.76 per cent in July.

However, items such as cereals and products, meat and fish, oils and fats became cheaper at inflation prints at 3.87 per cent, 2.94 per cent and 1.03 per cent, respectively.

Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters