Food inflation rises to 17.56 per cent

New Delhi: Food inflation inched up to 17.56 per cent for the week ended January 23 on account of rising prices of potato and pulses.

The wholesale price-based food inflation was 17.40 per cent in the previous week.

Potato prices jumped by 44.91 per cent over the last year, while pulses became dearer by 44.43 per cent.

The inflation for primary articles, which include food and non-food items, marginally eased to 14.56 per cent in the reporting week from 14.66 per cent in the previous week.

However on weekly basis, the price index for food articles declined by 0.1 per cent on account of lower prices of tea (five per cent), arhar (three per cent), and urad, fruits and

vegetables, ragi and eggs (one per cent each).