'Food inflation coming down'

A customer buys vegetable at a market in Calcutta, India, Monday, March 15, 2010. India's inflation accelerated faster than expected to 9.9 percent in February, driven by high food prices, adding to pressure on policymakers to continue unwinding stimulus measures, government data showed Monday. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

Food inflation is coming down, with sugar and vegetable prices falling and other indicators remaining stable, cabinet secretary K.M. Chandrashekhar said Tuesday.

“Sugar prices have come down. Pulses have come down. Wheat and rice are stable. Edible oils are stable. Vegetables are coming down,” Mr. Chandrashekar told reporters on the sidelines of a conference here when asked about food inflation.

“Food inflation, even if you take the inflation figures, is coming down,” he added.

India's annual food inflation fell marginally once again to 16.22 percent for the week ended March 13 from 16.3 percent in the week before.

According to data on wholesale price index released by the commerce and industry ministry last Thursday, the index for food articles rose 0.1 percent during the week under review, while that for non-food articles fell 0.2 percent.