India's annual retail inflation remained static in September with a marginal drop in the food prices. According to the data furnished by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, September's consumer price index (CPI) inflation remained static at 3.28 per cent as compared to August.
On a sequential basis, the country's Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) dropped to 1.25 per cent during the month under review when compared to 1.52 per cent in August 2017. However, on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, the country's September retail inflation was lower than the 4.39 per cent CPI rate reported for the corresponding month of last year.
The year-on-year CPI dropped to 3.44 per cent in urban areas and 3.15 per cent in rural areas in September as compared to 3.64 per cent and 5.04 per cent respectively in the corresponding period last year.
As per the ministry's data, retail inflation on a YoY basis fell due to a fall in the prices of food items like pulses, eggs and spices.
The data on a YoY basis showed that vegetables in September became costly by 3.92 per cent, while cereals prices rose by 3.70 per cent.
Other notable categories such as milk-based products became dearer by 3.87 per cent and meat and fish recorded a rise of 3.19 per cent.
Food and beverages during the month under consideration recorded a rise of 1.76 per cent over the same month last year.
Among non-food categories, the 'fuel and light' segment's inflation rate accelerated to 5.56 per cent in September.
