New Delhi: With a significant jump in the food prices and fuel products, the annual wholesale price inflation accelerated to a three-month high of 3.18 per cent in March this year from 2.74 per cent a year ago, government data released on Monday showed.
Wholesale Price Index-based inflation was at 2.93 per cent and 2.76 per cent, respectively, in February and January this year, and 3.46 per cent in December 2018.
Inflation in the food articles basket hardened to 5.68 per cent during March against 4.28 per cent in February, as prices of vegetables skyrocketed. Vegetable inflation was at 28.13 per cent in March, up from 6.82 per cent in the previous month. However, inflation in potato cooled substantially to 1.30 per cent, from 23.40 per cent in February.
Similarly, pulses and wheat witnessed some cooling in inflation at 10.63 per cent and 10.13 per cent, respectively.
Deflation in onion was 31.34 per cent, while the same in fruit was 7.62 per cent. Inflation in the fuel and power' category spiked to 5.41 per cent, from 2.23 per cent in February. Inflation is diesel shot up to 7.33 per cent in March from 3.72 per cent.
