CPI for agri and rural labourers dips in Dec 2025, food inflation turns negative.

TThe Labour Bureau, under the Ministry of Labour & Employment, has released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Agricultural Labourers (AL) and Rural Labourers (RL) for December 2025 , based on data from 787 sample villages across 34 States and Union Territories.

The data shows a slight easing in rural inflation, with the All-India CPI for Agricultural Labourers falling from 137.40 in November to 137.12 in December , while the CPI for Rural Labourers declined from 137.30 to 137.03 . The food component , which has major weight in rural spending, saw a sharper drop of 0.70 points for both AL and RL.

As a result, year-on-year inflation remained almost flat, at 0.04% for agricultural labourers and 0.11% for rural labourers , while food inflation turned negative at -1.80% for AL and -1.73% for RL , indicating a relief in food prices compared to the same period last year.

The easing in food inflation is mainly attributed to moderation in prices of essential items such as vegetables, pulses, cereals and edible oils , driven by adequate supply and improved harvests. This decline in food costs provides short-term relief to rural households, where food spending forms a large part of monthly expenses.

The CPI figures also have implications for rural wages and allowances, as these indices are often used for wage revisions and Dearness Allowance adjustments. A near-flat CPI may limit significant wage hikes, while lower food prices can support real purchasing power in the short term.