The country’s annual rate of inflation based on the all-India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) slowed to 2.31 per cent in January this year compared to 2.37 per cent for the previous month of December, according to data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry on Friday.

The month-over-month change in WPI for January stood at (-) 0.45 per cent compared to December as food prices eased.

The index for the primary articles group decreased by 2.01 per cent in January as the price of food articles decreased (-3.62 per month) during January 2025 as compared to December 2024. The Price of crude petroleum and natural gas (6.34 per cent), non-food articles (0.66 per cent) and minerals (0.22 per cent) increased in January 2025 as compared to December 2024.

Inflation for the fuel and power group increased by 0.47 per cent during the month although the price of coal remained the same as in the previous month.

Manufactured Products which weigh 64.23 per cent in the index registered a marginal increase of 0.14 per cent during January this year.

Out of the 22 groups for manufactured products, 15 groups witnessed an increase in prices, five groups witnessed a decrease in prices and two groups witnessed no change in prices, the figures showed.

Some important groups that showed month-over-month price increases were manufacturing; machinery and equipment; chemicals and chemical products; pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemical and botanical products etc.

Some of the groups that witnessed a decrease in prices were the manufacture of basic metals; fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment; wearing apparel; beverages; and other transport equipment in January 2025 as compared to December 2024.

The annual rate of inflation based on the WPI Food Index decreased from 8.89 per cent in December 2024 to 7.47 per cent in January 2025.