Veggies, pulses drag inflation to record low of 2.18% in May

New Delhi: Retail inflation fell to a record low of 2.18 percent in May as prices of kitchen staples like vegetables and pulses declined sharply although there was a marginal spike in fruit rates.

Clothing, housing, fuel and light also saw lower inflation.

The CPI based retail inflation stood was at 2.99 percent in April 2017. In May 2016, it was at 5.76 percent.

The overall food inflation was in negative territory at (-) 1.05 percent during the month.

Prices of vegetables declined by 13.44 percent and that of pulses and products by 19.45 percent.

Earlier this month, the Reserve Bank had maintained status quo on key lending rate (repo) citing risks to inflation.