The following is the unedited transcript of the news release from Office of Economic Adviser, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, New Delhi


The official Wholesale Price Index for ''All Commodities'' (Base: 1993-94 = 100) for the week ended 13th June 2009 rose by 0.6 percent to 234.2 (Provisional) from 232.7 (Provisional) for the previous week.

The annual rate of inflation, calculated on point to point basis, stood at -1.14 percent (Provisional) for the week ended 13/06/2009 (over 14/06/2008 ) as compared to -1.61 percent (Provisional) for the previous week (ended 06/06/2009 ) and 11.80 percent during the corresponding week (ended14/06/2008) of the previous year.

The movement of the index for the various commodity groups is summarized below:

PRIMARY ARTICLES (Weight 22.02%)

The index for this major group rose by 0.1 percent to 256.3 (Provisional) from 256.0 (Provisional) for the previous week. The groups and items for which the index showed variations during the week are as follows:

The index for ‘Food Articles’ group rose by 0.2 percent to 251.2 (Provisional) from 250.8 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of tea and jowar (2% each) and arhar (1%). However, the prices of bajra (4%) and eggs (2%) declined.

The index for ''Non-Food Articles'' group rose marginally to 236.0 (Provisional) from 235.9 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of raw jute (2%) and raw silk and rape & mustard seed (1% each). However, the prices of copra (1%) declined.

FUEL, POWER, LIGHT & LUBRICANTS (Weight 14.23%)

The index for this major group rose by 0.4 percent to 327.5 (Provisional) from 326.2 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of aviation turbine fuel (12%), light diesel oil (10%), furnace oil (3%) and naphtha (1%). However, the prices of bitumen (2%) declined.

MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS (Weight 63.75%)

The index for this major group rose by 1.0 percent to 205.8 (Provisional) from 203.8 (Provisional) for the previous week. The groups and items for which the index showed variations during the week are as follows:

The index for ''Food Products'' group declined by 0.3 percent to 233.2 (Provisional) from 233.8 (Provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of rice bran oil (5%) and oil cakes and imported edible oil (1% each). However, the prices of gur and coconut oil (1% each) moved up.

The index for ''Beverages Tobacco & Tobacco Products'' group declined by 0.3 percent to 301.6 (Provisional) from 302.4 (Provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of Indian made foreign spirit (2%).

The index for ''Textiles'' group rose by 0.7 percent to 142.7 (Provisional) from 141.7 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of other cotton yarn and cotton yarn-''hanks (2% each) and cotton yarn-cones and synthetic yarn (1% each).

The index for ''Rubber & Plastic Products'' group rose by 0.2 percent to 168.3 (Provisional) from 167.9 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of cycle tubes (8%). However, the prices of suitcases (16%) declined.

The index for ''Chemicals & Chemical Products'' group rose by 4.8 percent to 228.2 (Provisional) from 217.7 (Provisional) for the previous week due to higher prices of capsules other than vitamin & antibiotics (58%) and liquid chlorine (1%). However, the prices of acid (all kinds) (5%) and caustic soda (1%) declined.

The index for ''Non-Metallic Mineral Products'' group declined by 0.05 percent to 220.9 (Provisional) from 221.0 (Provisional) for the previous week due to marginal decline in the prices of cement.

The index for ''Basic Metals Alloys & Metal Products'' group declined by 0.1 percent to 255.2 (Provisional) from 255.4 (Provisional) for the previous week due to lower prices of lead ingots (8%), steel ingots and zinc ingots (6% each), alloy stainless steel (2%) and nickel alloy and alloy steel casting (1% each). However, the prices of zinc (3%) moved up.