The food price index rose an annual 10.05% in the week to March 12, higher than a 9.42% rise in the previous week as prices of potatoes and vegetables rose, data released on Thursday showed.
The fuel price index climbed 12.79% in the same week, the same level as in the previous week. Bonds fell on the data.
High food prices kept India’s headline inflation up for much of the past year. But now rising energy prices on unrest in the West Asia are a bigger challenge to inflation management as costlier fuel runs the risk of stoking overall inflation.
"Fuel inflation has remained steady as not much of pass through of high global crude prices is happening," said NR Bhanumurthy, an economist at Delhi-based think tank National Institute of Public Finance and Policy.
"Once the domestic prices are reviewed to bring them in line with international prices, you will see an acceleration in fuel inflation. But any such revision in fuel prices is unlikely before the state legislative elections."
Bhanumurthy said the rise in food price inflation was a one-off move and should ease going ahead.
The yield on most traded 8.13% 2022 government bond was up 1 basis point at 8.07% after the data release. The 5-year swap rate climbed 2 basis points to 8%, while the 1-year swap rate was up 2 basis points at 7.47%.
Headline inflation had unexpectedly quickened to 8.31% in February from 8.23% a month ago on rising fuel and manufacturing prices.