Wholesale price inflation (WPI) returned to the positive zone after two months at 0.52% in August, as prices of food articles and manufactured items inched up, government data showed on Monday (September 15, 2025).

WPI-based inflation was (-) 0.58 and (-) 0.19% in July and June, respectively. It was 1.25% in August last year.

“Positive rate of inflation in August 2025 is primarily due to an increase in prices of food products, manufacturing, non-food articles, non-metallic mineral products and transport equipment etc,” the industry ministry said in a statement.

As per WPI data, deflation in food articles was 3.06% in August, as against a deflation of 6.29% in July, with vegetables witnessing a spike in prices. Deflation in vegetables was 14.18% in August, as against 28.96% in July.

In the case of manufactured products, inflation was higher at 2.55% in August, as against 2.05% in the month before.

Fuel and power saw a negative inflation or deflation of 3.17% in August, as against 2.43% in July.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which takes into account retail inflation, had kept benchmark policy rates unchanged at 5.5% last month.

After declining for nine months since November 2024, retail inflation inched up to 2.07% in August, driven by a rise in prices of kitchen items, like vegetables, meat, fish, and eggs, data released last week showed.