New Delhi. Retail inflation has become the highest in nine months. There has been a tremendous increase in the retail inflation rate due to the unprecedented increase in the prices of food items, especially vegetables. Retail inflation increased to 5.49 percent in the month of September, which was 3.65 percent a month ago in August. This is the highest level of retail inflation based on the Consumer Price Index in nine months. The inflation rate of vegetables has increased from 11 percent to 36 percent.
According to the data released by the government, during this period i.e. in September, the inflation rate of food items has increased from 5.66 to 9.24 percent. Urban inflation also increased from 3.14 to 5.05 percent on month-on-month basis. Rural inflation has increased from 4.16 percent to 5.87 percent. It is noteworthy that about 50 percent contribution of food items in determining retail inflation is made by food items. Its inflation has not only increased on a month-to-month basis, it has also increased by about one percent on an annual basis.