Food inflation jumps to 16.35 pct

India’s 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.

India’s wholesale price inflation leapt to 9.89 per cent in February and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and other policymakers have said it could hit double digits in March.