The index for this major group rose by 1.8 percent to 246.8 from 242.5 for the previous month. The groups and items which showed variations during the month are as follows:-

The index for 'Food Articles' group rose by 2.3 percent to 244.3 from 238.8 for the previous month due to higher price of coffee (23%), poultry chicken (7%), fish-inland (6%), tea and fruits & vegetables (4% each), condiments & spices, fish-marine, urad and masur (3% each), rice and moong (2% each) and milk, barley, pork, mutton and arhar (1% each). However, the price of maize (5%), wheat and ragi (2% each) and egg, jowar and gram (1% each) declined.

The index for 'Non-Food Articles' group rose by 1.2 percent to 218.8 from 216.3 for the previous month due to higher price of guar seed (13%), soyabean (10%), copra (coconut) (8%), tobacco (7%), raw jute (5%), raw silk (3%), mesta (2%) and groundnut seed, raw cotton and cotton seed (1% each).  However, the price of gingelly seed and flowers (8% each), fodder (3%) and linseed, castor seed and sunflower (1%) declined.

The index for fuel and power group rose by 0.5 percent to 212.1 from 211.0 for the previous month due to higher price of electricity (agricultural) and electricity (railway traction) (3% each), electricity (commercial), electricity (domestic), light diesel oil and electricity (industry) (2% each) and high speed diesel (1%).  However, the price of furnace oil (2%) and aviation turbine fuel, LPG and petrol (1% each) declined.

For the month of  March, 2014, the final Wholesale Price Index for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2004-05=100) stood at 180.3 as compared to 179.8 (provisional) and annual rate of inflation based on final index stood at 6.00 percent as compared to 5.70 percent respectively as reported on 14.04.2014.