Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices in India, Wholesale Rates

(base: 1993-94=100)
(For week ended on 22nd July 2006)

The official Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 1993-94 = 100) for the week ended 22nd July 2006 rose by 0.2 percent to 204.1 (Provisional) from 203.7 (Provisional) for the previous week.

The annual rate of inflation, calculated on point-to-point basis, stood at 4.67 percent (Provisional) for the week ended 22/07/2006 (over 23/07/2005) as compared to 4.52 percent (Provisional) for the previous week and 4.33 percent during the corresponding week of the previous year.

The movement of the index for the various commodity groups is summarized below:-

1. Primary Articles (Weight 22.02%)

The index for this major group rose by 0.3 percent to 203.4 (Provisional) from 202.7 (Provisional) for the previous week. The groups and items for which the index showed variations during the week are as follows:-

The index for ‘Food Articles’ group rose by 0.6 percent to 204.8 (Provisional) from 203.6 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of poultry chicken (12%), fruits & vegetables (2%) and masur, urad, gram and eggs (1% each).

The index for ‘Non-Food Articles’ group declined by 0.3 percent to 184.1 (Provisional) from 184.6 (Provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of logs & timber (11%), raw rubber and fodder (2% each) and gingerly seed, soybean and raw jute (1% each). However, the prices of groundnut seed (3%) and rape & mustard seed (1%) moved up.

2. Fuel, Power, Light & Lubricants (Weight 14.23%)

The index for this major group rose by 0.3 percent to 327.4 (Provisional) from 326.3 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of naphtha (4%), furnace oil (2%) and bitumen (1%).

3. Manufactured Products (Weight 63.75%)

The index for this major group rose by 0.1 percent to 176.8 (Provisional) from 176.7 (Provisional) for the previous week. The groups and items for which the index showed variations during the week are as follows:-

The index for ‘Food Products’ group rose by 0.2 percent to 180.4 (Provisional) from 180.0 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of rice bran oil and imported edible oil (4% each), rape & mustard oil, groundnut oil, biscuits and cattle feed (2% each) and coffee powder, coconut oil, sugar & sweet meat confectionery, cotton seed oil and ghee (1% each).

The index for ‘Textiles’ group rose by 0.2 percent to 130.3 (Provisional) from 130.0 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of polyster yarn and texturised yarn (2% each) and viscose filament yarn (1%).

The index for ‘Rubber & Plastic Products’ group rose by 0.1 percent to 144.7 (Provisional) from 144.6 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of decorative laminates (3%).

The index for ‘Chemicals & Chemical Products’ group declined by 0.6 percent to 195.3 (Provisional) from 196.4 (Provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of pesticides (29%). However, the prices of liquid oral other than vitamins, soda ash (sodium carbonate) and hair oil (1% each) moved up.

The index for ‘Non-Metallic Mineral Products’ group declined by 0.1 percent to 188.8 (Provisional) from 188.9 (Provisional) for the previous week due to marginal decline in the prices of cement.

The index for ‘Basic Metals Alloys & Metal Products’ group rose by 0.6 percent to 228.0 (Provisional) from 226.6 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of skelps (9%), oromild steel & tensile plates (8%), cr coils (7%), cr sheets (5%) and wire(all kinds) (4%). However, the prices of zinc ingots (4%) and lead ingots (2%) declined.

The index for ‘Machinery & Machine Tools’ group rose by 0.1 percent to 152.4 (Provisional) from 152.2 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of complete tractors (1%).

The index for ‘Transport Equipment & Parts’ group rose by 0.1 percent to 161.1 (Provisional) from 161.0 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of broad gauge diesel locomotives (3%).

Source: PIB Press Releases.