CPI for farm and rural workers continue to decline for third month in a row

Point to point rate of inflation based on the CPI-AL and CPI-RL stood at 5.99% & 5.84% in May, 2023 compared to 6.50% & 6.52% respectively in April, 2023 and 6.67% and 7.00% respectively during the corresponding month of the previous year. Similarly, Food inflation stood at 6.31% & 6.07% in May, 2023 compared to 6.67% & 6.52% respectively in April, 2023 and 5.44% & 5.51% respectively during the corresponding month of the previous year.

CPI-AL & CPI-RL (Base: 1986-87=100) for the month of May, 2023 increased month on month by 6 & 5 points to stand at 1186 and 1197 points respectively. The major contribution towards the rise in general index of Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers came from food group to the extent of 5.29 & 4.72 points respectively mainly due to increase in prices of rice, pulses, milk, meat goat, chillies dry, garlic, ginger, vegetables & fruits, etc.

The rise/fall in index varied from State to State. In case of Agricultural Labourers, it recorded an increase of 2 to 17 points in 11 States and a decrease of 1 to 5 points in 8 States while it remained stationary for Himachal Pradesh State. Tamilnadu with 1371 points topped the index table whereas Himachal Pradesh with 918 points stood at the bottom.

In case of Rural Labourers, it recorded an increase of 1 to 17 points in 12 States and a decrease of 1 to 5 points in 7 States while it remained stationary for Kerala State. Tamilnadu with 1360 points topped the index table whereas Himachal Pradesh with 968 points stood at the bottom.

Amongst states, the maximum increase in the Consumer Price Index Numbers for both Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers was experienced by Andhra Pradesh State (17 points each) mainly due to rise in the prices of rice, jowar, ragi, pulses, green/dry chillies, onion, vegetables & fruits, etc. On the contrary, the maximum decrease in the Consumer Price Index Numbers for Agricultural Labourers was experienced by Assam State and for Rural Labourers by Odisha State (5 points each) mainly due to fall in the prices of rice, ragi, mustard-oil, fish-fresh, onion, chillies green, etc.