Retail inflation for farm, rural workers rise marginally in July

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Retail inflation for farm workers and rural labourers rise marginally to 3.92 per cent and 4.09 per cent in July, as compared to the previous month.

The numbers in June had stood at 3.83 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively.

“Point-to-point rate of inflation based on the CPI-AL (Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers) and CPI-RL (Consumer Price Index for Rural Labourers) stood at 3.92 per cent and 4.09 per cent in July 2021, compared to 3.83 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively, in June 2021,” the labour ministry said in a statement.

It added that the inflation based on CPI-AL and CPI-RL during July 2020 had stood at 6.58 per cent and 6.53 per cent, respectively.

Similarly, food inflation based on the indices stood at 2.66 per cent and 2.74 per cent in July 2021, lower as compared with 2.67 per cent and 2.86 per cent, respectively, in June 2021. They were at 7.83 per cent and 7.89 per cent, respectively, during the corresponding month of the previous year.

All-India CPI-AL and CPI-RL for July 2021 rose four points and five points to stand at 1,061 points and 1,070 points, respectively, as compared to June 2021.

The major contribution towards the rise in general index of agricultural labourers and rural labourers came from food and miscellaneous group with 1.78 points and 1.79 points, and 1.30 and 1.31 points, respectively. It was mainly due to a rise in prices of vegetables and fruits, onion, meat goat, poultry, chillies-green, and mustard oil, among others.

The rise or fall in the index varied from state to state.

In the case of agricultural labourers, it recorded an increase of 1-13 points in 16 states and a decrease of 1-7 points in 3 states, while the index for Assam remained stationary. Tamil Nadu, with 1,249 points, topped the index table; whereas Himachal Pradesh, with 829 points, stood at the bottom.

In the case of rural labourers, it recorded an increase of 2-14 points in 15 states and a decrease of 1-6 points in three states, while it remained stationary for Assam and Meghalaya. Tamil Nadu, with 1,235 points, topped the index table; whereas Bihar, with 868 points, stood at the bottom.

Among states, the highest increase in the CPI numbers for agricultural and rural labourers was experienced by Punjab (13 points and 14 points, respectively), mainly due to a rise in the prices of wheat atta, vegetables and fruits, milk, and onion.

On the contrary, the steepest fall in the CPI numbers for agricultural and rural labourers was experienced by Tamil Nadu (seven points and six points, respectively), mainly due to fall in the prices of jowar, meat goat, fish-fresh, onion, and vegetables and fruits.