Inflation based on the Wholesale Price Index shot up to 3.35% in July, from 1.62% in June, reported Business Standard. The last time it was this high was in August 2014, when it stood at 3.74%. A spike in the price of food items such as vegetables and fruits caused the escalation, experts said. According to official data, the WPI index cumulatively went up by 4.91% during the months leading up to July in the current financial year. It went up by 0.85% during the corresponding period last year.

Potato prices went up 58.78% in July from a 64.41% rise in June. Prices of vegetables rose 28.05% during the same month. Pulses became dearer by 35.76% in July after a rise of 26.61% the previous month. Manufactured food products went up went up by 10.19% during the same period. The Consumer Price Index went up by 1.82% in July, and it is believed to have played a role in the high rates of retail inflation.