IGI Logo

A labour bureau has said that retail inflation for farm workers and rural labourers eased to 5.99 per cent and 5.84 per cent, respectively, in May 2023. Point-to-point rate of inflation based on the CPI-AL (consumer price index-agricultural labourers) and CPI-RL (rural labourers) stood at 6.50 per cent and 6.52 per cent respectively in April 2023 and 6.67 per cent and 7.00 per cent respectively during the corresponding month (May 2022) of the previous year.

It stated that food inflation stood at 6.31 per cent & 6.07 per cent in May 2023 compared to 6.67 per cent & 6.52 per cent respectively in April 2023 and 5.44 per cent & 5.51 per cent respectively during the corresponding month of the previous year. The All-India Consumer Price Index Number for Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers for the month of May 2023 increased by 6 & 5 points to stand at 1186 points and 1197 points respectively. The CPI-AL and CPI-RL were 1180 points and 1192 points respectively in April 2023.

The major contribution towards the rise in general index of Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers came from food group to the extent of 5.29 & 4.72 points respectively mainly due to increase in prices of rice, pulses, milk, meat goat, chillies dry, garlic, ginger, vegetables & fruits, etc. The rise/fall in index varied from State to State. In case of Agricultural Labourers, it recorded an increase of 2 to 17 points in 11 States and a decrease of 1 to 5 points in 8 States while it remained stationary for Himachal Pradesh State. Tamil Nadu with 1371 points topped the index table whereas Himachal Pradesh with 918 points stood at the bottom.