India's Retail Inflation Expected to Rise as Food Prices Increase

India is likely to experience higher retail inflation in October 2026, with food prices emerging as a major contributor to the increase. According to a Reuters poll of 36 economists, consumer inflation is forecast to rise to 5.93% in October, compared with 5.54% in September.

Food prices have increased across several essential categories, including vegetables, edible oils, milk, meat and eggs. Onion prices have nearly doubled since the beginning of the year, adding to the financial pressure on households.

Economists have linked the rising food costs partly to uneven and deficient monsoon conditions, which have affected agricultural supplies in several parts of the country.

Food inflation is projected to reach 8.20% in October, compared with 7.74% in September. This could bring overall inflation closer to the RBI's upper tolerance limit of 6%.

The development highlights the importance of agricultural production, stable supply chains and effective food distribution in maintaining price stability.

The official October inflation figures are scheduled for release on November 12, 2026. The figures mentioned above are economists' forecasts, not final government-released data.