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Food Inflation
Food inflation tracks price changes in cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruit, milk, oils and other food items. Because food makes up a large share of the CPI basket and is sensitive to weather, it is the most volatile part of Indian inflation.
Why It Matters
For poorer households, food inflation is close to the whole story of inflation.
In India
Food inflation fell below zero in late 2025 after a good harvest, then rose to 7.74% in September 2026 after a weak monsoon.
See it in the news
Inflation at 5.54%: onions up 108%, and the restaurant bill up 9%Oct 13, 2026The driest monsoon since 2009? What a 15% rain deficit does to your plateSep 18, 2026IMD says a below-normal monsoon. El Niño is back.May 29, 2026India changed how it measures inflation. Here’s what the new CPI countsFeb 16, 2026
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