Inflation based on prices of products consumed by rural labourers rose to 16.99 per cent in December as rice, wheat, sugar and other food articles turned dearer.

Consumer price-based index of products consumed by agricultural labourers rose to 17.21 per cent in December compared to 15.65 per cent in previous month, a Labour Bureau statement said on Wednesday.

However, inflation measured by wholesale prices was 7.31 per cent in December.

The All-India Consumer Price Index numbers for agricultural labourers increased by six points to 538 points, while that for rural labourers rose by five points to 537 points, the statement said.

The consumer price numbers of Jammu and Kashmir for agricultural and rural labourers registered the highest increase of 23 and 22 points respectively mainly because of increase in prices of rice, wheat atta, maize, moong dal, rajmah, mustard oil and milk, it said.

On the other hand, the consumer price index numbers of Tripura state for agricultural labourers and rural labourers registered the decrease four points each mainly due to fall in the prices of fruit and vegetables.