Retail inflation rises to 4.82% in August from 4.45% in July

Food remained the biggest contributor to the rise in consumer prices. Food inflation increased to 5.95% in August from 5.52% in July. Rural food inflation was higher at 6.13%, while urban food inflation stood at 5.64%.Food inflation increased to 5.95%, driven by higher prices of onion, garlic and ginger. India’s retail inflation rose to 4.82% in August 2026 from 4.45% in July, driven largely by a pickup in food prices, according to data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on Monday.The Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based inflation stood at 4.82% in August, compared with 4.45% in July. The August figure is provisional. Food inflation, measured by the Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI), rose to 5.95% in August from 5.52% in July.The increase in headline inflation came as both rural and urban inflation moved higher. Rural inflation rose to 5.23% in August from 4.84% in July, while urban inflation increased to 4.31% from 3.96%.FOOD PRICES DRIVE INFLATION HIGHERFood remained the biggest contributor to the rise in consumer prices. Food inflation increased to 5.95% in August from 5.52% in July. Rural food inflation was higher at 6.13%, while urban food inflation stood at 5.64%.Within the food basket, several items recorded sharp price increases. Onion inflation jumped to 48.27% in August from 22.54% in July, while garlic inflation rose to 43.60% from 35.36%.Ginger prices were also significantly higher, with inflation at 73.82% in August, although this was lower than the 83.57% recorded in July. Silver jewellery recorded the highest inflation among the key items listed by MoSPI, at 107.11%. Gold, diamond and platinum jewellery inflation stood at 35.53%.On the other hand, prices of some vegetables remained lower than a year earlier. Tomato inflation stood at -31.09% in August, while potato inflation was -13.14%. Lady’s finger recorded inflation of -5.41%, while parwal/patal and kundru prices were 3.60% lower year-on-year.WHICH CATEGORIES SAW HIGHER INFLATION?Apart from food and beverages, several other categories also recorded inflation in August.Personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services recorded the highest inflation among the broad divisions at 15.17%. Restaurants and accommodation services followed with inflation of 8.38%, while paan, tobacco and intoxicants recorded 4.71% inflation.Transport inflation stood at 4.60%, while clothing and footwear inflation was 3.56%. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels recorded inflation of 2.61%. Health inflation remained relatively low at 1.34%.Within the transport category, transport services for goods recorded inflation of 14.64%, while operation of personal transport equipment saw inflation of 7.40%. Purchase of vehicles, however, recorded deflation of 4.38%.WHERE WAS INFLATION HIGHEST?Among states and Union Territories, Telangana recorded the highest combined retail inflation in August at 6.27%, followed by Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu at 6.22%.Tamil Nadu recorded inflation of 5.92%, while Puducherry stood at 5.85%. Madhya Pradesh recorded 5.55% and Andhra Pradesh 5.53%.Delhi recorded one of the lower inflation rates among the larger states and Union Territories, at 2.61%. West Bengal recorded 3.28%, while Gujarat's inflation stood at 4.94%.INFLATION HAS RISEN FOR THE THIRD STRAIGHT MONTHThe latest data show that headline retail inflation has been moving higher since May. CPI inflation rose from 3.93% in May to 4.38% in June, 4.45% in July and 4.82% in August.The August reading is based on the new CPI series with base year 2024=100 and is provisional. MoSPI said price data were collected from 1,407 urban markets, including online markets, and 1,465 villages across all states and Union Territories. The response rate was 100% for both rural and urban markets during August.The next CPI inflation data, for September 2026, will be released on October 12, 2026, or the next working day if October 12 is a holiday.- EndsPublished On: Sep 14, 2026 16:27 IST