Data Alert
WPI inflation falls to 6-month low of 2.05% in March
This story was originally published at 13:45 IST on 15 April 2025
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--India Mar WPI inflation 2.05% vs 2.38% in Feb
--Informist poll estimated India Mar WPI inflation at 2.4%
--India Mar WPI food inflation at 4.66% vs 5.94% in Feb
--India Mar WPI primary articles inflation at 0.76% vs 2.81% in Feb
--India Mar WPI fuel and power inflation at 0.20% vs -0.71% in Feb
--India Mar WPI manufactured products inflation at 3.07% vs 2.86% in Feb
--India Mar WPI all commodities index down 0.2% on month
--India Mar WPI food index down 0.1% on month
--India Mar WPI primary articles index down 1.1% on month
--India Mar WPI fuel and power group index down 0.9% on month
--India Mar WPI manufactured products index up 0.4% on month
--India Mar WPI vegetable index down 5.7% on month
--India Mar WPI cereals index down 0.9% on month
--India Mar WPI edible oils index up 1.2% on month
--India Mar WPI basic metals index up 1.1% on month
--India Jan WPI inflation rate revised to 2.51% vs 2.31% provisional
--India Mar WPI core inflation rate at 1.5% vs 1.3% in Feb
--India Mar WPI inflation of 2.05% lowest in 6 months
NEW DELHI – India's WPI inflation fell to a six-month low of 2.05% in March mainly because of a drop in wholesale food prices, according to data released by the commerce ministry on Tuesday. WPI inflation was 2.38% in February and 0.26% in March 2024.
At 2.05%, wholesale inflation for March is lower than the consensus expectation. According to a poll by Informist, WPI inflation in March was seen at 2.4%. Meanwhile, the print for January was revised higher to 2.51% from the provisional estimate of 2.31%.
The all commodities index of the WPI was down 0.2% on month in March, while the food index fell 0.1% from February. The primary articles index fell 1.1% on month in March, while the fuel and power index was down 0.9% from February.
WPI food inflation fell to a seven-month low of 4.66% in March from 5.94% the previous month. While food inflation came down in March, fuel and manufactured products inflation picked up. WPI fuel inflation rose to an eight-month high of 0.20% in March, while manufactured products inflation jumped to a 27-month high of 3.07%. Core WPI inflation--or inflation excluding food and fuel items--rose to a 25-month high of 1.5% from 1.3% in February.
On a sequential basis, wholesale vegetable prices fell 5.7%, pulled down by lower prices of tomato, onion, and potato. Wholesale prices of pulses and wheat were also down in March compared to February.
With the March print, WPI inflation averaged 2.31% in Jan-Mar and 2.25% in 2024-25 (Apr-Mar).
The following table details the sequential and annual increase in the main components of the WPI:
| Weight (%) | March (index) | Month-on-month change | Year-on-year change | ||
| March | February | ||||
| ALL COMMODITIES | 100 | 154.5 | (-)0.2% | 2.05% | 2.38% |
| PRIMARY ARTICLES | 22.62 | 184.6 | (-)1.1% | 0.76% | 2.81% |
| Food articles | 15.26 | 194.4 | (-)0.7% | 1.57% | 3.38% |
| Cereals | 2.82 | 211.2 | (-)0.9% | 5.49% | 6.77% |
| Pulses | 0.64 | 205.1 | (-)1.6% | (-)2.98% | (-)1.04% |
| Vegetables | 1.87 | 177.5 | (-)5.7% | (-)15.88% | (-)5.80% |
| Potato | 0.28 | 199.7 | (-)7.7% | (-)6.77 | 27.54% |
| Onion | 0.16 | 273.7 | (-)9.9% | 26.65% | 48.05% |
| Tomato | 0.28 | 142.6 | (-)11.3% | (-)42.98% | (-)40.29% |
| Fruits | 1.6 | 218.5 | 4.3% | 20.78% | 20.88% |
| Milk | 4.44 | 186.8 | 0.2% | 1.41% | 1.58% |
| Eggs, meat, and fish | 2.4 | 170.1 | (-)0.8% | 0.71% | 1.48% |
| Non-food articles | 4.12 | 162.8 | (-)2.4% | 1.75% | 4.84% |
| Oil seeds | 1.12 | 179.3 | 0.2% | 0.34% | 0.11% |
| Minerals | 0.83 | 227.9 | 0.3% | 2.84% | 0.98% |
| Iron ore | 0.21 | 134.5 | (-)2.5% | (-)1.03 | 6.16% |
| Crude petroleum | 1.95 | 120.8 | (-)2.9% | (-)11.50% | (-)7.99% |
| FUEL and POWER | 13.15 | 152.4 | (-)0.9% | 0.20% | (-)0.71% |
| Coal | 2.14 | 135.6 | 0.0% | (-)0.15% | (-)0.29% |
| Liquefied petroleum gas | 0.64 | 123.7 | 0.6% | 0.24% | 0.90% |
| Petrol | 1.6 | 151.8 | (-)0.5% | (-)3.86% | (-)4.21% |
| High speed diesel | 3.1 | 165.4 | (-)0.7% | (-)2.88% | (-)3.20% |
| Electricity | 3.06 | 152.5 | (-)2.3% | 5.46% | (-)0.57% |
| MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS | 64.23 | 144.4 | 0.4% | 3.07% | 2.86% |
| Food products | 9.12 | 179.4 | 0.9% | 10.67% | 11.06% |
| Edible oils | 2.64 | 190.8 | 1.2% | 30.95% | 33.59% |
| Textiles | 4.88 | 136.6 | (-)0.3% | 1.71% | 1.93% |
| Chemical, chemical products | 6.47 | 136.9 | (-)0.2% | 0.96% | 1.26% |
| Non-metallic mineral products | 3.2 | 132.7 | 0.1% | (-)0.30% | (-)0.90% |
| Cement and lime | 1.64 | 131.6 | 0.3% | (-)2.01% | (-)3.67% |
| Basic metals | 9.65 | 139.1 | 1.1% | 0.29% | (-)0.65% |
| Semi-finished steel | 1.27 | 118.2 | 0.8% | 1.03% | 0.51% |
End
Reported by Shubham Rana
Edited by Avishek Dutta
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