Food inflation rises to 16.35%

Food inflation rose marginally to 16.35 per cent for the week ended March 20 mainly on account of high prices of pulses and milk.

The inflation stood at four-month low of 16.22 per cent for the week ended March 13.

The rise in food prices is mainly driven by pulses, which became dearer by 31.55 per cent.

Milk prices rose by 18.74 per cent on the yearly basis. On weekly basis, the index for food articles rose by 0.6 per cent because of higher prices of barley and milk (3 per cent each), moong and condiments and spices (2 per cent each), and urad & arhar (1 per cent each).

The overall inflation has been relentlessly rising and was at 9.89 per cent in February, up from 8.56 per cent in January.

The rise in inflation has been mainly attributed to high food inflation and the recent hike in fuel inflation after the increase in excise and customs duty on petrol and diesel.