Veggies, pulses drag inflation to record low of 2.18% in May

This is the lowest since 2012

Retail inflation fell to a record low of 2.18 per cent in May as prices of kitchen staples like vegetables and pulses declined sharply although there was a marginal spike in fruit rates.

Clothing, housing, fuel and light also saw lower inflation.

Retail inflation dropped to an all time low of 2.18 per cent in May.

The CPI based retail inflation stood was at 2.99 per cent in April 2017. In May 2016, it was at 5.76 per cent.

The overall food inflation was in negative territory at (-) 1.05 per cent during the month.

Prices of vegetables declined by 13.44 per cent and that of pulses by 19.45 per cent.

Earlier this month, the Reserve Bank had maintained status quo on key lending rate (repo) citing risks to inflation.

Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters