Retail inflation for agricultural and rural labourers eases slightly in August

livemint.com:

agricultural workers and rural labourers eased slightly to 7.37% and 7.12%, respectively, during August, as compared to the previous month, due to lower fuel prices and lower cost of clothing, bedding and footwear. Point to point rate of Inflation based on the CPI-AL(Consumer Price Index Number for Agricultural Labourers), and CPI-RL (Consumer Price Index Number for Rural Labourers) stood at 7.37% and 7.12% in August, 2023 compared to 7.43% and 7.26% respectively in July, 2023, according to data from Ministry of Labour and Employment, which was released on Thursday. CPI-AL and CPI-RL had stood at 6.94% and 7.26% respectively during August 2023.

Interestingly, the general index for CPI-AL rose to 1,244 in August 2023 from 1,215 in July 2023. The general index for CPI-RL rose to 1,234 from 1,226 during the same period. The fuel and light group (index) for CPI-AL fell to 1,303 from 1,304 during the same period.

The fuel and light group (index) for CPI-RL stayed at 1,295 during both July and August 2023. Similarly, the clothing, bedding and footware index for CPI-AL fell to 1,253 in August from 1,258 in July. The similar index for CPI-RL fell to 1,300 from 1,302 during the same period.

The major contribution towards the rise in general index of Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers came from food group to the extent of 8.38 and 7.69 points respectively mainly due to increase in prices of rice, wheat atta, pulses, milk, meat-goat, sugar, gur, chillies-dry, turmeric, garlic, onion, mixed spices, etc., the official statement said. The rise in indexes varied from state to state. In the case of Agricultural Labourers, it recorded an increase of 2 to 19 points in 20 States.