SANGEETHA G CHENNAI, MAY 17

Wholesale price inflation (WPI) climbed to a multiyear high of 10.49 per cent in April from 7.39 per cent in March, on the back of rising commodity prices and a low base. At 10.49 per cent WPI saw the highest level since April 2010.

"The annual rate of inflation in April 2021 is high primarily because of rise in prices of crude petroleum, mineral oils viz petrol, diesel etc, and manufactured products as compared to the corresponding month of the previous year," a government release said.

In April, fuel and power index rose 20.94 per cent year-on-year but contracted 1 per cent over March. Manufactured products inflation rose 9.01 per cent year-on-year and 1.65 per cent over the preceding month. Primary articles inflation rose 10.16 per cent year-on-year and 3.83 per cent over the preceding month and prices of food articles went up 4.92 per cent year-on-year and

3.84 per cent over March. The core-WPI inflation too moved up to 8.4 per cent on a yearly basis in April, driven by metals, paper, rubber, and chemicals. But retail inflation eased to a three-month low of 4.29 per cent from over

5.5 per cent in March.

"In sequential terms, the WPI-food recorded a sharp

3.8 per cent month-onmonth increase in April

2021, as compared to a relatively limited 1 per cent uptick in the CPI-food index, suggesting a greater impact of supply chain disruptions at the wholesale level," said Aditi Nayar, chief economist, Icra.