New Delhi, May 14 - Inflation moved up to 7.23 per cent in April on account of spurt in prices of vegetables, meat, milk and pulses, although onion and fruits showed a declining trend. Inflation, as measured by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), was 6.89 per cent in March. In April last year, it was 9.74 per cent.

Vegetables turned costlier by 60.97 per cent during April. In March, the rate of price rise in vegetables was 30.57 per cent. Pulses were expensive 11.29 per cent.

Milk became costlier by 15.51 per cent, while rice and cereals turned costlier by 5.68 per cent and 5.8 per cent respectively. Prices of potato too rose by 53.44 per cent. Besides, eggs, meat and fish prices rose 17.54 per cent during the month, slightly lower from 17.71 per cent in March.

However, as per the official data released today, inflation for the overall food items category was 10.49 per cent in April, as against 10.66 per cent in March.

Onion prices declined (-)12.11 per cent in April. The rate of decline was (-)24.23 per cent in March. Food articles have 14.3 per cent share in the WPI basket. Inflation in the price of manufactured goods increased marginally to 5.12 per cent in April, from 4.87 per cent in March.

The headline inflation number for February was revised upwards to 7.39 per cent, from the provisional estimate of 6.95 per cent. PTI