For the month of April, the annual rate of inflation based on the All India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) number is 1.26 per cent (Provisional) over April, 2023, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry said on Tuesday.

Positive rate of inflation in April, 2024 is primarily due to increase in prices of food articles, electricity, crude petroleum & natural gas, manufacture of food products, other manufacturing, etc, the Ministry said.

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The rate of inflation based on WPI Food Index increased from 4.65 per cent in March, 2024 to 5.52 per cent in April, 2024.

It is to be highlighted that the Food Index consisting of ‘food articles’ from primary articles group and ‘food product’ from manufactured products group have increased from 180.1 in March, 2024 to 183.6 in April, 2024.

The month over month change in WPI index for the month of April, 2024 stood at 0.79 per cent as compared to Mar, 2024.

As per the data, the prices of crude petroleum and natural gas increased 3.56 per cent, and the food articles increased 2.67 per cent in April, 2024 as compared to March, 2024.

While the prices of non-food articles declined by 1.19 per cent and minerals by 1.55 per cent in April, 2024 as compared to March, 2024.

The index for Fuel & Power declined by 0.26% to 154.8 (provisional) in April from 155.2 (provisional) for the month of March.

Prices of mineral oils (0.06%) increased in April as compared to March while the prices of electricity (-1.20%) declined in April as compared to March.

The index for manufactured products increased by 0.50 % to 140.8 (provisional) in April from 140.1(provisional) for March.