As the wholesale price-based inflation rate eases to 11.80 per cent from 12.40 per cent six weeks ago, retail prices of essential commodities witnessed a mixed trend in the national capital, with rates of seven items shooting up while those of four going down.

The government has been maintaining all through that the prices of food articles, especially foodgrains, have been rising at a lower pace and, thus, contributing less to the overall inflation rate.

The inflation data for the week ended September 27 show that among the food articles, milk became expensive by one per cent, while prices of imported edible oils soared by five per cent.

According to the data maintained by the consumer affairs ministry of 14 essential commodities, retail prices of rice, a staple diet for most Indians, shot up by Rs 2 to Rs 22 per kg in Delhi.

Tur turned dearer by Rs 6 to Rs 50 per kg whereas tea rates spiralled by Rs 6 to Rs 134. These apart, prices of milk, potato, salt and gram rose by Re 1 each to Rs 21, Rs 13, Rs 11 and Rs 37, respectively.

However, edible oils, including groundnut and mustard, moved downwards on the back of ample domestic availability.

While groundnut oil went down to Rs 118 per litre on October 8 from Rs 121 on August 18, mustard oil became cheaper by Rs 6 to Rs 79.

Similarly, vanaspati prices declined by Rs 9 per kg to Rs 62 during the period. Onions, too, turned cheaper by a marginal Re 1 per kg to Rs 14.

Prices of wheat, atta and sugar remained stable during this period at Rs 13, Rs 14 and Rs 20 per kg, respectively.