Govt releases truncated WPI for April; WPI based inflation falls to 3.6%

New Delhi, May 15: The Commerce and Industry Minister today released truncated data for April wholesale price-based inflation saying there was limited transaction of products in the market due to the outbreak of COVID-19. As per the data released, Wholesale Price Index (WPI) deflation in primary articles was 0.79 per cent in April, as against an inflation of 3.72 per cent in March.

 

 

The fuel and power basket saw a deflation of 10.12 per cent in April, against 1.76 per cent deflation in the previous month. The rate of inflation based on WPI Food Index decreased from 5.49 per cent in March, 2020 to 3.60 per cent in April, 2020. An official statement said, all commodities WPI could not be computed for April-2020 due to non-availability of manufactured product group index.

The data (ex-factory prices) was collected through electronic means of communications from selected factories and institutional sources. The Price Movement of these Sub-groups/Groups of WPI was worked out by taking the prices of only those items for which at least 25% of price quotations were reported from the selected manufacturing units," the DPIIT said.

 

It added, the price indices of primary articles have been computed based on mandi prices of agricultural items, ex-mine prices of minerals, prices of crude petroleum and natural gas. With regard to inflation in manufactured products, the Ministry said in view of the lockdown, the price collection of manufactured products through personal visits of price collectors was suspended with effect from March 19.