Food price index up 16.35% March 20

Food price index rose 16.35 per cent in the 12 months to March 20, while the fuel index was up 12.75 per cent, government data showed on Thursday.

The rise in the food price index was slightly higher than an annual rise of 16.22 per cent in the previous week.

The primary articles index was up 13.86 per cent on the year on March 20.

Wholesale price inflation (WPI) leapt to 9.89 percent in February and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and other policymakers have said it could hit double digits in March.