Indian govt stops issuing food inflation data

NEW DELHI, Feb 10 (Asia Pulse) - The Indian government has discontinued a practice of releasing food inflation data every Thursday. "Consequent upon the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) held on January 24, 2012, weekly release of Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for the commodities items under the Groups 'Primary Articles' and 'Fuel & Power is discontinued with immediate effect," the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which releases the inflation data, said.

The government, however, will continue releasing the monthly headline or overall inflation data, which also contains the break-up for all segments including food, non-food, fuel and manufactured items.

The monthly WPI for January would be released on February 14.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry used to release the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) data on primary articles and fuel and power every week, mostly on Thursdays.

The primary articles include food items, which has a weight of about 14 per cent in the overall inflation.

Food inflation stood at (-) 1.03 for the week ended January 14, according to the data released last week.