India’s annual rate of inflation, based on monthly wholesale price index (WPI), stood at 2.45 per cent for the month of May 2019 over May 2018. The index for textiles rose by 0.3 per cent while for apparel it was up by 0.5 per cent in May, according to the provisional data released by the Office of the Economic Adviser, ministry of commerce and industry. The official WPI for all commodities (Base: 2011-12 = 100) for the month of May 2019 rose by 0.2 per cent to 121.2 from the previous month’s level of 120.9, the data showed. The index for manufactured products (weight 64.23 per cent) for May 2019 rose by 0.1 per cent to 118.4 from the month level of 118.3. The index for ‘Manufacture of Wearing Apparel’ sub-group rose by 0.5 per cent to 139.2 from 138.5 for the previous month due to higher price of woven apparel, except fur apparel (1 per cent). However, the price of knitted and crocheted apparel declined by one per cent.
The index for ‘Manufacture of Textiles’ sub-group rose by 0.3 per cent to 119.7 from 119.4 for the previous month due to higher price of knitted and crocheted fabrics (3 per cent) and cordage, rope, twine and netting and weaving & finishing of textiles (1 per cent each). However, the price of viscose yarn declined by one per cent. The index for primary articles (weight 22.62 per cent) rose by 0.2 per cent to 139.5 from 139.2 for the previous month. The index for fuel and power (weight 13.15 per cent) also increased by 0.6 per cent to 103.4 from 102.8 for the previous month due to higher price of naphtha, ATF, LPG, kerosene, furnace oil and HSD. Meanwhile, the all-India consumer price index (CPI) on base 2012=100 stood at 3.05 (provisional) in May 2019 compared to 2.99 (final) in April 2019 and 4.87 in May 2018, according to the Central Statistics Office, ministry of statistics and programme implementation.
