Sub-par monsoon rainfall, dearer crude oil: Is benign inflation a thing of the past?
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.As investors gauge the full impact of the West Asia war on crude oil-led inflation, another problem seems to be emerging. The India Meteorological Department and private forecaster Skymet Weather Services predict rainfall in the June-September monsoon season may fall short of the long-term average.
El Niño conditions could develop and weaken the monsoon. Subdued rainfall threatens India's inflation comfort.The southwest monsoon is critical for irrigation in India.
Below-normal rainfall can hurt kharif crop production. This hits agricultural output, farmer incomes and rural consumption, which was earlier slated to improve led by cuts in the goods and services tax rates.
The impact of subdued rainfall on food prices depends on the spatial and temporal distribution of the monsoon.“Over the last few years, the correlation between monsoon outcomes and food inflation has weakened due to better supply management and adequate foodgrain stocks,” said Gaura Sen Gupta, economist at IDFC First Bank.But there is an upside risk to the FY27 consumer price index (CPI) inflation estimate of 4.9% if food inflation rises significantly, she cautioned.CPI inflation rose to 3.4% in March from 3.2% in February. While this is well below the Reserve Bank of India’s medium-term target of 4%, the uptick from lower levels has begun.
The rise in CPI in March was mainly driven by components of food and beverages (36.8% weightage in the CPI basket), electricity, gas and other fuels and restaurants and accommodation services.Increased prices of commercial and domestic gas cylinders pushed inflation in the gas and fuel category. Restaurants seem to have passed on rising food and fuel costs to consumers to some
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