Uptrend in milk prices can be attributed chiefly to the steadily worsening shortage and the resultant surge in the prices of fodder and feed, accounting for nearly 65% of the cost of milk production
The index for manufactured products saw a decline of 0.42 per cent month-on-month (MoM) and the inflation in fuel and power category saw a fall of 1.65 per cent
However, anticipating critics, Sitharaman added that the government is working to bring it down under 6% and would like to bring it down under 6% and "ideally" to 4%
However, this is the 17th consecutive month since April 2021 that the factory-gate inflation has remained in the double digit, primarily driven by rising energy and food prices
The wholesale price-based inflation eased to 11-month low of 12.41 per cent in August, on softening in prices of manufactured and fuel products, even as food items remained expensive.