Slight Uptick in Retail Inflation for Rural Workers Amid Food Price Changes

Retail inflation for farm and rural workers rose modestly in December 2025, following fluctuations in food prices. The Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Workers and Rural Workers saw minor increases, contrasting with negative figures in November. The Labour Bureau released these statistics, using data from 787 villages across India.

Retail inflation for farm and rural workers in India experienced a slight increase in December 2025, according to government data released on Wednesday. The rise was attributed to firming food prices, impacting the Consumer Price Index-Agricultural Workers (CPI-AL) and Consumer Price Index-Rural Workers (CPI-RL).

In a notable departure from November's figures, retail inflation noted a modest hike, with November's rates being negative at -0.66% for farmers and -0.47% for rural laborers. December's data revealed food inflation stood at -1.80% for farm workers and -1.73% for rural laborers, slightly improved from November's -2.95% and -2.70%, respectively.

The Labour Bureau's report, based on data from 787 sample villages across 34 states and Union Territories, indicated the All-India Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers dropped marginally by 0.28 points to 137.12, while for Rural Labourers decreased by 0.27 points to 137.03. These indices utilized 2019 as the base year for comparison.

(With inputs from agencies.)