India’s wholesale price index (WPI) based inflation rate rose to the highest level in the current 2011-12 series at 15.88% in May 2022 as against 15.08% in April. The number has remained in double digits for the fourteenth consecutive month. The higher inflation can be attributed to a surge in vegetable prices and supply-side disruptions caused by the Russia-Ukraine war. Component wise, primary articles index, having weight of 22.62%, increased by 2.80% to 179.8 (provisional) in May, 2022 from 174.9 (provisional) for the month of April, 2022. Prices of Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas, Food Articles, Minerals and Non-food Articles increased in May 2022 as compared to April 2022.
Fuel & Power index, having weight of 13.15%, increased by 2.25% to 154.4 (provisional) in May, 2022 from 151.0 (provisional) for the month of April, 2022. Prices of Mineral Oils increased in May, 2022 as compared to April, 2022. Besides, prices of coal and electricity remain unchanged. Besides, Manufactured Products constituting the major portion of the index with weight of 64.23%, increased by 1.69% to 144 (provisional) in April 2022 from 141.6 (provisional) for the month of March 2022. Meanwhile, for the month of February 2022 the final Wholesale Price Index and inflation rate for 'All Commodities' (Base: 2011-12=100) stood at 145.3 and 13.43% respectively.
Moreover, Manufactured Products constituting the major portion of the index with weight of 64.23%, increased by 0.56% to 144.8 (provisional) in May, 2022 from 144.0 (provisional) for the month of April, 2022. Meanwhile, for the month of March, 2022 the final Wholesale Price Index and inflation rate for 'All Commodities' (Base: 2011-12=100) stood at 148.9 and 14.63% respectively. Further, WPI Food Index consisting of 'Food Articles' from Primary Articles group and 'Food Product' from Manufactured Products group have increased from 172.9 in April, 2022 to 176.1 in May, 2022. The rate of inflation based on WPI Food Index increased from 8.88% in April 2022 to 10.89% in May 2022.