Wholesale price-indexed (WPI) inflation softened to 2.47 per cent in March from 2.48 per cent reported for the previous month, official data showed on Monday.

The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, stood at 2.47% (provisional) for the month of March, 2018 (over March, 2017) as compared to 2.48% (provisional) for the previous month and 5.11% during the corresponding month of the previous year, an official release said Monday.

Build up inflation rate in the financial year so far was 2.47% compared to a build up rate of 5.11% in the corresponding period of the previous year, it added.

The index for Food Articles group declined by 0.4 percent to 137.2 (provisional) from 137.8 (provisional) for the previous month.

On a year-on-year (YoY) basis, onion prices soared higher by 42.22 per cent whereas potato prices rose by 43.25 per cent.

In contrast, the overall vegetable prices in March deflated (-)2.70 per cent, against a fall of (-)0.50 per cent in the same month a year ago.

The index for Non-Food Articles group declined by 0.3 percent to 120.2 (provisional) from 120.6 (provisional) for the previous month.

The index for manufactured goods rose by 0.4 percent to 115.7 (provisional) from 115.2 (provisional) for the previous month.