Wholesale Price Index Inflation Declines to 2.31% in January as Food Costs Drop
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Synopsis
In January 2025, India's annual inflation rate, as per the Wholesale Price Index, reduced to 2.31% from 2.37% in December, driven by easing food prices. Key categories showed varied price movements, with manufactured goods experiencing slight increases.
Key Takeaways
- WPI inflation rate fell to 2.31% in January 2025.
- Food prices showed a notable decrease, impacting overall inflation.
- Manufactured products experienced a slight increase in prices.
- Fuel and power sector inflation rose by 0.47%.
- The WPI Food Index inflation dropped to 7.47%.
New Delhi, Feb 14 (NationPress) The nation's yearly inflation rate, derived from the all-India Wholesale Price Index (WPI), has decreased to 2.31 per cent in January this year, down from 2.37 per cent in December, as per the data published by the Commerce and Industry Ministry on Friday.
In terms of month-to-month changes, the WPI for January saw a decline of (-) 0.45 per cent when compared to December, attributed to a reduction in food prices.
The primary articles index fell by 2.01 per cent in January, with food article prices declining by (-3.62 per cent month-on-month) during January 2025 relative to December 2024. In contrast, prices for crude petroleum and natural gas rose by 6.34 per cent, while non-food articles and minerals saw increases of 0.66 per cent and 0.22 per cent, respectively, in January 2025 compared to December 2024.
The inflation rate for the fuel and power sector increased by 0.47 per cent this month, although coal prices remained unchanged from the previous month.
Manufactured products, which account for 64.23 per cent of the index, experienced a slight rise of 0.14 per cent in January.
Of the 22 manufactured product categories, 15 experienced price hikes, 5 saw price drops, while 2 remained stable, as the data indicated.
Notable categories that experienced month-over-month price increases included manufacturing, machinery and equipment, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.
Conversely, categories that recorded price declines included basic metals, fabricated metal products (excluding machinery and equipment), wearing apparel, beverages, and other transport equipment in January 2025 compared to December 2024.
The yearly inflation rate based on the WPI Food Index decreased from 8.89 per cent in December 2024 to 7.47 per cent in January 2025.
