How India's monsoon shaped this year's food inflation
A patchy June and a heavy August moved vegetable prices more than any policy decision did. We trace the rain, mandi by mandi.
Meera Kulkarni
Prices & Inflation
CPI Food Inflation
6.6%
+0.5ppfrom 6.1%
As of 30 June 2026Monthly
Food inflation tracked the rain, with a lag
Consumer food price inflation, year-on-year % change, monthly
Source: MoSPI, CPI releases; illustrative seriesShare or embed this chart
What this measures
The food and beverages sub-index of CPI, covering cereals, vegetables, pulses, milk and other staples. It is the most volatile part of headline inflation and the component most exposed to monsoon and harvest swings.
Source & release schedule
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI)
Released monthly alongside headline CPI, around the 12th.
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