Food inflation, as measured by the revised consumer food price index (CFPI), moved sharply upwards to touch 8.94% in October, primarily because onion, ginger, garlic, sugar, chicken, and edible oils became far costlier. Sequentially, the CFPI rose by 0.94% last month from the September level. Food inflation was 7.74% in September 2026, and it was in negative territory for seven months through December 2025. Food inflation was 2.13% in January 2026, when the new consumer price index (CPI) series with a base year of 2024 was introduced by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). Earlier highest food inflation was reported at 9.04% in November, 2024.