India's WPI inflation rises to 27-month high at 4.17% in February

New Delhi: The Wholesale price-based inflation (WPI) in February rose to its 27-month high to 4.17 per cent as against 2.03 per cent a month ago in January.

Wholesale prices in February this year raised on the back of rising food prices and manufactured goods. 

The WPI inflation was 2.03 per cent in January and 2.26 per cent in February last year.

"The rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at (4.17 per cent) (provisional) for the month of February 2021 (over February 2020, as compared to 2.26 per cent) during the corresponding month of the previous year," a Ministry of Commerce and Industry statement on WPI said.

On a segment basis, prices of primary articles, which constitute 22.62 per cent of the WPI`s total weightage, inflated by 1.82 per cent from (-) 2.24 per cent in January.

Besides, the WPI food index rose to 3.31 per cent from (-) 0.26 per cent reported for January 2020.

The prices of manufactured items remained at elevated levels with a rise of 5.81 per cent from 5.13 per cent reported for January 2020.

On the same note, the prices of fuel and power with a weightage of 13.15 per cent rose 0.58 per cent from (-) 4.78 per cent in January 2020.

"The index for this (fuel and power) major group increased by (4.51 per cent) to 104.2 (provisional) in February 2021 from 99.7 (provisional) for the month of January 2021. Prices of Mineral Oils (8.88 per cent) increased in February 2021 as compared to January 2021," the statement said.

"Prices of Electricity (-0.43 per cent) declined in February 2021 as compared to January 2021. Prices of coal remain unchanged."