National inflation accelerates to 4.2% in February

• Mainly driven by increase in food prices
• Food inflation increases to 6.9%, from 5.9% in Jan.
• Non-food inflation increases marginally to 1.9%, from 1.8% in Jan.

Headline inflation, as measured by the year-on-year (YoY) change in the Natio nal Consumer Price Index (NCPI), increased to 4.2 percent in February 2021, from 3.7 percent in January 2021. 

This was mainly driven by the monthly increase in the prices of items in the food category. 

Accordingly, food inflation (YoY) increased to 6.9 percent in February 2021, from 5.9 percent in January 2021. 

Further, non-food inflation (YoY) increased marginally to 1.9 percent in February 2021, from 1.8 percent in January 2021.  The change in the NCPI, measured on an annual average basis, decreased to 5.5 percent in February 2021, from 5.8 percent in January 2021.

The monthly change of the NCPI recorded at 0.51 percent in February 2021, was mainly due to the price increases observed in the items of the food category. 

Moreover, the monthly changes of the food and non-food categories were recorded at 0.42 percent and 0.09 percent, respectively in February 2021. 

Accordingly, within the food category, the increases were observed mainly in the prices of vegetables, green chilli, coconut and rice during February 2021. However, the prices of potato and big onion recorded declines during the month. 

Further, YoY core inflation decreased marginally to 4.1 percent in February 2021, from 4.2 percent in January 2021, while the annual average core inflation remained unchanged at 4.2 percent in February 2021.