April inflation stands at 5.2 pct

"The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 5.20% (provisional) for the month of April, 2014 (over April, 2013) as compared to 5.70% (provisional) for the previous month and 4.77% during the corresponding month of the previous year. Build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 0.22% compared to a build up rate of 0.71% in the corresponding period of the previous year," Ministry of Commerce & Industry said in a statement.

"The index for 'Food Articles' group rose by 1.5 percent to 238.8 (provisional) from 235.3 (provisional) for the previous month due to higher price of tea (12%), fruits & vegetables and poultry chicken (7% each), masur and moong (3% each), pork (2%) and ragi, jowar, rice, mutton, bajra and condiments & spices (1% each).  However, the price of egg (10%), fish-inland (5%), barley (4%), wheat (2%) and fish-marine and maize (1% each) declined," it said.

"The index for 'Non-Food Articles' group declined by 0.4 percent to 216.3 (provisional) from 217.2 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower price of fodder (6%), raw rubber (4%), raw silk (3%), castor seed, raw cotton and flowers (2 % each) and rape & mustard seed, guar seed, cotton seed and sunflower (1% each).  However, the price of copra (coconut) (14%), niger seed and raw jute (3% each), soyabean (2%) and groundnut seed and logs & timber (1% each) moved up," read the statement.

In the fuel and power sector, the  index for 'this major group declined by 1.0 percent to 211.0 (provisional) from 213.1 (provisional) for the previous month due to lower prices of aviation turbine fuel and furnace oil (4% each), LPG and petrol (2% each) and kerosene and bitumen (1% each)'.