The Centre on Monday notified that Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation stood at 3.18 percent in the month of April 2018.

As per data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 3.18 percent (provisional) for the month of April, 2018 (over April, 2017) as compared to 2.47 percent for the previous month and 3.85 percent during the corresponding month of the previous year.

Furthermore, build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 0.69 percent compared to 0.00 percent in the corresponding period of the previous year, the Ministry added.

The index for 'Food Articles' group rose by 1.9 percent to 139.8 (provisional) from 137.2 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of tea (18 percent), fruits and vegetables (eight percent) and pork, paddy and maize (one percent each). However, the price of eggs, ragi and gram, and condiments and spices declined by four percent, three percent and one percent respectively.

The index for 'Non-Food Articles' group declined by 0.9 percent to 119.1 (provisional) from 120.2 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of raw silk (nine percent), floriculture (seven percent), gaur seed (five percent) and gingelly seed (two percent each); while that of copra (coconut) and sunflower rose by three percent each, and fodder and rape and mustard seedmoved up one percent.

The index for 'Crude Petroleum and Natural Gas' group rose by 2.4 percent to 82.1 (provisional) from 80.2 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of natural gas (4 percent) and crude petroleum (two percent).

In the Fuel and Power category, the index for 'Coal' group rose by 0.3 percent to 123.0 (provisional) from 122.6 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of lignite (8 percent), while the index for 'Mineral Oils' group rose by 1.6 percent to 89.9 (provisional) from 88.5 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of naphtha and petroleum coke (4 percent each), and kerosene and petrol (two percent each); with five percent dip in LPG prices.

Furthermore, the index for 'Manufacture of Tobacco Products' group declined by four percent to 146.0 (provisional) from 152.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of other tobacco products (9 percent) and cigarette (one percent).

The index for 'Manufacture of Textiles' group rose by 0.3 percent to 114.4 (provisional) from 114.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of viscose yarn, weaving and finishing of textiles, cotton yarn and synthetic yarn (one percent each). However, the price of manufacture of cordage, rope, twine and netting, woollen yarn and manufacture of made-up textile articles, except apparel declined by one percent.

In terms of wearing apparel manufacturing, the index or this group rose by 1.1 percent to 139.3 (provisional) from 137.8 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of manufacture of wearing apparel (woven), except fur apparel (1 percent).

Also, the index for 'Manufacture of Leather and Related Products' group rose by 1.2 percent to 122.0 (provisional) from 120.5 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of belt and other articles of leather (3 percent), vegetable tanned leather, chrome tanned leather and athletic/sport shoes (2 percent each) and leather shoe, harness, saddles and other related items, gloves of leather, canvas shoes and travel goods. (1 percent each).

Meanwhile, the rate of inflation based on WPI Food Index consisting of 'Food Articles' from Primary Articles group and 'Food Product' from Manufactured Products group increased from (-) 0.07 percent in March to 0.67 percent in April.