CPI inflation picks up to 3.65% in Feb, highest since Oct 2016

It was 3.17% in January; food inflation rises to 2%

Retail inflation rises to 3.65% in Feb on costlier food items New Delhi, Mar 14 (PTI) Retail inflation rose to 4-month high of 3.65% in February mainly due to surge in price of food items like fruits, sugar and confectionery.

Measured in terms of Consumer Price Index (CPI), the inflation had dipped to a multi-year low of 3.17% in January this year on account of cash crunch following demonetisation. It was 5.26% in February last year.

According to the CPI data released today by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the consumer food prices index (CFPI) rose by 2.01% in February from 0.61% in January. The CFPI was 5.3% in February 2016.

Inflation in fruits was higher at 8.33%, fuel and light at 3.9% in February. The rate of price rise in meat and fish was 3.5% in February.

Prices of sugar and confectionery items rose by 18.83% in February while inflation in milk and milk product increased by 4.22%.

The rate of inflation in household goods and services was 4.09% while this rate was in health segment was 4%. The transport and communication became expensive by 5.39%.

The personal care and effects segment rose by 5.15% while the education became more expensive by 5.37% in February this year.

The inflation rate was 4.38% in clothing and footware segment while it was 4.9% in housing segment.

However, the prices of vegetables and pulses declined by 8.29% and 9.02% respectively.

Rural retail inflation was at 3.67% in February compared with 3.36% in the preceding month. The CPI was also up in the urban sector at 3.55% in February, from 2.9% in January this year.