Food inflation eases to 10.39% from 11.49% last week

Food inflation declined more than a percentage point to 10.39 per cent for the week ended February 19, led by a decline in prices of onions, potatoes and pulses.

However, prices of fruit, milk and vegetables as a group continued to remain high.

Food inflation stood at 11.49 per cent in the previous reporting week and 21.62 per cent in the corresponding period a year ago.

According to data released by the government, prices of potatoes declined by 12.66 per cent year-on-year, while pulses fell by 5.02 per cent, onions by 3.64 per cent and wheat by 2.06 per cent.

The items that became dearer during the week ended February 19 vis-a-vis the corresponding year-ago period were fruits (up 16.34 per cent), egg, meat and fish (14.5 per cent), vegetables (14.29 per cent) and milk (11.07 per cent).