Retail inflation for industrial workers eases to 4.45% in October

Retail inflation for industrial workers eased to 4.45 per cent in October from 4.72 per cent in September mainly due to lower prices of certain food items.

Retail inflation based on All-India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) was 6.08 per cent in October 2022, a labour ministry statement said.

Food inflation stood at 6.27 per cent in October 2023 against 6.52 per cent in the previous month and 6.52 per cent during the corresponding month (October 2022) a year ago.

The All-India CPI-IW for October 2023 increased by 0.9 points and stood at 138.4 points. The CPI-IW was 137.5 points in September 2023.

The maximum upward pressure in the current index came from Food & Beverages group contributing 0.68 percentage points to the total change.

At item level, Wheat, Wheat Atta, Arhar Dal/Tur Dal, Cow milk, Egg Hen, Papaya, Pomegranate/Anar, Arum/Arbi, Brinjal, Capsicum, Carrot, Cauliflower, French beans, Garlic, Lady's Finger, Onion, Peas, Radish, Sugar White, Cumin seed/Jira, Mixed Spices, Cooked Meals, Vada/Idli/Dosa, Bidi, School uniform (Girls/Boys), Leather Sandle, Rubber Chappal, Bus fare, Toilet Soap, Medicine allopathic, etc. are responsible for the rise in index.

However, this increase was largely checked by Rice, Fish Fresh, Poultry/Chicken, Mustard oil, Soyabean oil, Apple, Chillies Green, Ginger, Tomato, Cooking Gas (LPG), etc. putting downward pressure on the index.

At the centre level, Biswanath-Chariali recorded a maximum increase of 4.8 points. Among others, 4 centres recorded an increase between 3 to 3.9 points, 4 centres between 2 to 2.9 points, 19 centres between 1 to 1.9 points and 42 centres between 0.1 to 0.9 points.

On the contrary, Chennai recorded a maximum decrease of 1.3 points followed by Coonoor and Kolkata with 1.1 points each. Among others, 13 centres recorded a decrease between 0.1 to 0.9 points. The rest of the two centers remained stationary.

The Labour Bureau, an attached office of the Ministry of Labour & Employment, has been compiling CPI-IW every month on the basis of retail prices collected from 317 markets spread over 88 industrially important centres in the country.