Vegetable prices push retail inflation to double digit

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Retail inflation shot up to the double digit mark at 10.32 per cent in April on account of substantial increase in vegetable, edible oils and milk prices.

Based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the inflation for March was revised to 9.38 per cent from the provisional estimate of 9.47 per cent, as per the government data release here on Friday.

Vegetable prices recorded the maximum spurt in prices, up 24.55 per cent, followed by edible oils - 17.63 per cent and milk products - 14.94 per cent in April, year-on-year basis.

Prices of egg, fish and meat shot up 9.95 per cent, while non-alcoholic beverages became costlier 9.52 per cent.

Among other items, prices of cereal and its products saw a rise of 3.94 per cent over the April 2011 level.

While sugar saw a marginal rise of 4.32 per cent in April, 'pulses and products' were up by 6.03 per cent, over the same month last year.

Prices of fuel and light, and clothing, bedding and footwear segments also remained in the double-digit.

Inflation rates for rural and urban areas were 9.86 per cent and 11.10 per cent respectively in April.

According to the revised data, the inflation rates for rural and urban areas were 8.70 per cent and 10.30 per cent respectively in March.

The All-India CPI is in addition to the three retail price indices -- for agricultural labourers, rural labourers and industrial workers -- prepared by the Ministry of Labour.

Meanwhile, inflation based on Wholesale Price Index also rose to 7.32 per cent in April on account of steep spurt in vegetables as they turned costlier by 60.97 per cent during April as per the WPI data released earlier this week.