Food inflation inched up a tad to 16.55 per cent for the week ended May 22 from 16.23 per cent in the previous week, mainly owing to higher prices of pulses, milk, fruits and vegetables although potatoes and onions turned cheaper and wheat prices eased.
Evidently, despite the official projection of normal monsoon rains this year spread throughout the country, a softening trend in prices is yet to set in. Economic analysts are of the view that with the onset of the monsoon, prices of edibles would start easing from July onwards and decline further during August-September.
During the week, the upward inflationary movement was primarily on account of a rise in prices of fish (marine) by seven per cent, poultry chicken by five per cent, masur (among pulses) and barley by two per cent each. Alongside, while wheat prices eased by one per cent, coffee was cheaper by five per cent.
