Retail food inflation remained in positive territory for four consecutive months in April, with a year-on-year rise of 4.2% in the relevant index, as tomatoes and coconuts became costlier.

Sequentially, All India Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) rose by 0.25% last month, compared to March, 2026. Food inflation was 3.87% in March 2026.

Food prices were in deflation territory for seven months through December 2024. Food inflation was 2.13% in January, according to the new consumer price index (CPI) series with a base year of 2024 introduced by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

Despite the rise in food inflation, prices of onion (-17.67%), potato (-23.69%), and peas (-6.75%) declined in April 2026 on a year-on-year basis. These three commodities have a combined weightage of 1.50% in the CPI basket.

However the prices of copra (44%), tomato (35%) and cauliflower (25%) reported high inflation, according to the official statement by MoSPI.

What do experts say?

Experts say that while prices of pulses and some vegetables such as potatoes and onions are ruling below last year’s level, a rise in edible oil prices and some other vegetables would push up inflation in the coming months.

The India Meteorological Department forecast “below normal” southwest monsoon rainfall for June-September this year, predicting 92% of the long period average, with a high 66% chance that the rains will fall in the “deficient to below normal” range. The below-normal rainfall may impact the output of kharif crops – paddy, pulses and oilseeds—as the met department stated the development of the El Nino phenomenon in its forecast for July.

Aditi Nayar, chief economist, ICRA, said that amid erratic weather conditions and supply disruptions, the YoY inflation in the Food and Beverage segment will inch up further to 4.5% in May 2026.

The statistics ministry had stated that from the beginning of 2026, the base year for measuring CPI has been revised from 2012 to 2024 using the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023-24. The weightage of CFPI in CPI has declined to about 36.73% from 45.86% in the new series.

According to the ministry, if the old classification system were followed, the share of Food and Beverages would have declined from 45.86% to 40.10%. However, the share of food and beverages continues to remain the largest component in the CPI basket in the new series.