FOOD INFLATION CAN BE REVERSED WITH BETTER FARM LOGISTICS

DESPITE confident officialese that inflation has been tamed, the latest National Statistical Office figures show the scare is on the growl again.

- 

Retail inflation measured by the consumer price index (CPI) climbed to its highest this calendar at 5.49 percent, rising from 3.65 percent in August. Though it's still within RBI's tolerance range of 2-6 percent, there is growing concern at the persisting food inflation, which shot up to 9.22 percent from 5.66 percent in the preceding month. Wholesale inflation, a reflection of prices at the point of production, also rose to 1.84 percent in September from 1.31 percent in August. The impact of high food prices can be gauged from the fact that though fuel and power-the other significant drivers of inflation-fell 4.05 percent in September, the CPI