NEW DELHI: Retail inflation for farm and rural labourers increased to 6.67 per cent and 7 per cent, respectively in May, mainly due to higher prices of certain food items.
"Point-to-point rate of inflation based on the CPI-AL (Consumer Price Index-Agricultural Labourers and CPI-RL (Rural Labourers) stood at 6.67 per cent and 7 per cent in May, 2022 compared to 6.44 per cent and 6.67 per cent, respectively in April, 2022 and 2.94 per cent and 3.12 per cent, respectively during the corresponding month of the previous year (June, 2021)," a labour bureau statement said.
Similarly, it stated that food inflation stood at 5.44 per cent and 5.51 per cent in May, 2022 compared to 5.29 per cent and 5.35 per cent, respectively in April, 2022, and 1.54 per cent and 1.73 per cent, respectively during the corresponding month of the previous year.
The all-India consumer price index numbers for agricultural labourers and rural labourers for the month of May, 2022 increased by 11 points and 12 points to stand at 1119 and 1131 points, respectively. The CPI-AL and CPI-RL were 1108 points and 1,119 points in April, 2022.
The major contribution towards the rise in general index of agricultural labourers and rural labourers came from food group to the extent of 7.44 and 7.65 points, respectively, mainly due to increase in prices of rice, wheat-atta, jowar, bajra, milk, meat-goat, fish fresh/dry, chillies dry, mixed spices, vegetables and fruits, etc.
The rise in index varied from state to state. In case of agricultural labourers, it recorded an increase of 2 to 20 points in 20 states. Tamil Nadu with 1294 points topped the index table whereas Himachal Pradesh with 883 points stood at the bottom.
In case of rural labourers, it recorded an increase of 1 to 19 points in 20 states. Tamil Nadu with 1281 points topped the index table whereas Himachal Pradesh with 934 points stood at the bottom.
Amongst states, the maximum increase in the consumer price index numbers for both agricultural and rural labourers was experienced by Kerala (20 and 19 points respectively) mainly due to rise in the prices of rice, topioca, fish fresh/dry, chillies dry, vegetables and fruits, bus fare, etc.