India’s annual rate of inflation, based on monthly wholesale price index (WPI), for August 2020, stood at 0.16 per cent over August 2019. The index for textiles declined by 0.09 per cent and for apparel by 0.44 per cent in August, 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 August 2020 increased by 0.91 per cent to 121.7, showing positive inflation for the first time since April this year when the economy was hit by COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns.

The index for manufactured products (weight 64.23 per cent) for August 2020 increased by 0.59 per cent to 119.3 from 118.6 for the month of July 2020. The index for ‘Manufacture of Wearing Apparel’ sub-group, however, declined by 0.44 per cent to 136.4. The index for ‘Manufacture of Textiles’ sub-group too decreased by 0.09 per cent to 113.1.

The index for primary articles (weight 22.62 per cent) rose by 1.81 per cent to 146.3. The index for fuel and power (weight 13.15 per cent) also increased by 0.77 per cent to 91.4.