April retail inflation comes in at 4.83% vs 4.85% in March

The retail inflation for April marginally eased as the Consumer Priced Index stood at 4.83%. In March, the retail inflation came in at 4.85%, according to data from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

CPI Inflation

Inflation in the food basket was at 8.7% in April, marginally up from 8.52% in March, according to the data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO).

The government has tasked the Reserve Bank to ensure inflation remains at 4%, with a margin of 2% on either side.

According to the Reserve Bank, which factors in consumer inflation while arriving at its bi-monthly monetary policy, food price uncertainties continue to weigh on the inflation trajectory going forward.

RBI governor Shaktikanta Das during the last monetary policy in April highlighted concerns over food price uncertainties even as he expressed optimism that a record rabi wheat production would help ease price pressure. Moreover, the prospects of a normal monsoon are expected to augur well for the kharif season.

Since December last year when the inflation rose 5.69%, India's retail inflation has been easing. For January and February, inflation prints came at 5.10% and 5.09%, respectively.

[With PTI inputs]

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