Retail inflation rises to 3.21% in February

metro india news  I new delhi

Retail inflation in India rose to 3.21 per cent in February, up from 2.74 per cent recorded in January, according to the latest data released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) on Thursday.

The inflation figures are based on the new Consumer Price Index (CPI) series with 2024 as the base year. The data shows that while inflation increased slightly month-on-month, it remained within the Reserve Bank of India’s comfort range.

Food inflation witnessed a noticeable rise during the month. It climbed to 3.47 per cent in February from 2.13 per cent in January, reflecting higher prices of several food and commodity items. Price increases were particularly observed in items such as silver, gold, diamond and platinum jewellery, as well as coconut-copra, tomato and cauliflower.

However, the data also indicated a decline in prices of some essential commodities. Items such as garlic, onion, potato, arhar and litchi recorded disinflation, providing some relief to consumers.

The inflation trend varied slightly across regions. Retail inflation in rural areas was recorded at 3.37 per cent, while urban inflation stood at 3.02 per cent during February.

The latest figures indicate a mild uptick in price pressures, mainly driven by food and commodity price movements during the month.