The Office of Economic Adviser, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade is releasing index numbers of Wholesale Price in India for the month of April, 2021 (Provisional) and for the month of February, 2021 (Final) in this press release. Provisional figures of Wholesale Price Index (WPI) are released on 14th of every month (or next working day) with a time lag of two weeks of the reference month and compiled with data received from institutional sources and selected manufacturing units across the country. After 10 weeks, the provisional index is finalized, released and frozen thereafter.
In April, 2021 (over April, 2020), the annual rate of inflation (YoY), based on monthly WPI, stood at 10.49% (Provisional).The annual rate of inflation in April 2021 is high primarily because of rise in prices of crude petroleum, mineral oils viz petrol, diesel etc, and manufactured products as compared to the corresponding month of the previous year. The details of All India Wholesale Price Indices and Rates of Inflation for different commodity groups forApril, 2021are at Annex I.The Annual rate of Inflation (Y-o-Y) based on WPI for different commodity groups in the last 6 monthsis atAnnex II. The WPI Index for different commodity groups in the last 6 months is at Annex III.
The monthly rate of inflation, based on month over monthmovement of WPI index, in April 2021 stood at 1.86% (Provisional) as compared to March 2021.
Primary Articles (weight 22.62%): –The index for this major group increased by (3.83%) to 151.8 (Provisional) in April, 2021 from 146.2 (Provisional) for the month of March, 2021. Prices of Minerals (6.66%), Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas (4.80%), Food Articles (3.84%) and Non-food Articles (2.65%) increased in April, 2021 as compared to March, 2021.
Fuel &Power (weight 13.15%): –The index for this major group declined by (-1.00%) to 108.6 (Provisional) in April, 2021 from 109.7 (Provisional) for the month of March, 2021. Prices of Coal (0.32%) and Mineral Oils (0.29%) increased in April, 2021 as compared to March, 2021. Prices of Electricity (-4.96%) declined in April, 2021 as compared to March, 2021.
Manufactured Products (weight 64.23%): –The index for this major group increased by (1.65%) to 129.4 (Provisional) in April, 2021 from 127.3 (Provisional) for the month of March, 2021. Out of the 22 NIC two-digit groups for Manufactured products, 20 groups have witnessed increase in prices in April 2021 compared to March 2021. The increase in prices areprimarily contributed by the manufacture of basic metals, food products, chemical & chemical products, textiles, and rubber & plastic products. Two groups that have witnessed decrease in prices are manufacture of other manufacturing and printing and reproduction of recorded media in April, 2021 as compared to March, 2021.
WPI Food Index (weight 24.38%)-The Food Index consisting of ‘Food Articles’ from Primary Articles group and ‘Food Product’ from Manufactured Products group have increased from 153.4 in March, 2021 to 158.9 in April, 2021. The rate of inflation based on WPI Food Index increased from 5.28% in March, 2021 to 7.58% in April, 2021.
Final Index for the month of February, 2021-For the month of February, 2021 the final Wholesale Price Index and inflation rate for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2011-12=100) stood at 128.1 and 4.83% respectively.
Response Rate-The WPI for April, 2021 have been compiled at a weighted response rate of 76 percent, while the final figure for February, 2021 is based on the weighted response rate of 91 percent. The Provisional figures of WPI will undergo revision as per the final revision policy of WPI.