Retail inflation sees marginal fall to 6.44% in February 2023

Retail inflation for February 2023 fell marginally to 6.44 per cent compared to 6.52 per cent in January 2023 as commodity prices witnessed a slight slide. Food inflation also slid to 5.95 per cent in February 2023 compared to 6 per cent in January. Consumer price index (CPI) based inflation had touched 6.52 per cent in January 2023, which was a three-month high owing to higher food prices. However retail inflation was 6.07 per cent in February 2022, and therefore CPI-based inflation in February 2023, at 6.44 per cent, was higher compared to the year-ago period. The marginal fall in retail inflation in February 2023 was mainly due to reduction in prices of meat and fish, egg, vegetables, pulses, and sugar. At the same time though, prices of fruits, clothing and footwear, education, transportation, health and household goods went up in February 2023 compared to January 2023.