According to data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Friday, the main causes of India’s January 2025 wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation decline were price increases for the production of food products, food articles, other manufacturing, non-food items, textiles, etc. Compared to the WPI rate of 2.37 percent from the previous month, this is rather lower.
In comparison to December 2024, the January 2025 WPI change was (-)0.45% month over month.
Inflation for food items also decreased dramatically to 5.88 percent in January from 8.47% in December, according to a Ministry of Commerce & Industry report. Inflation for main items decreased from 6.02 percent to 4.69% over the previous month. Inflation for fuel and electricity was -2.78% in January and -3.79% in December. Inflation for manufactured goods also increased from 2.14% in December to 2.51%.
According to the non-food articles, WPI inflation was 2.95% in January compared to 2.46% in December. In January, minerals inflation dropped from 5.47% in December to 2.86 percent. Crude petroleum and natural gas reported wholesale inflation of -0.76 percent and -0.53 percent, respectively, in January.
In the area of food goods, vegetable inflation plummeted to 8.35% in January from 28.65% in December. The inflation rate for pulses increased slightly to 5.08 percent in January, whilst the inflation rate for wheat was 9.75 percent during the same period. Inflation for eggs, meat, and fish decreased from 5.43 percent in January to 3.56% in January. Inflation rates for potatoes and onions were 74.28 percent and 28.33 percent, respectively.
Retail inflation in India, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was 4.31 percent in January, a sharp decline from 5.22 percent in December, according to figures issued yesterday by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation.
