The government today expressed optimism that food inflation would ease from November with the arrival of new crop.
"It is difficult to predict, but I think food prices are expected to soften from November with new crop hitting the market from mid-October," Secretary to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation TCA Anant said here today.
However, food price inflation, which was at 16.24 per cent for the week ended September 25, would not go below 7-8 per cent till February-March, Anant cautioned.
He emphasised that immediate supply of produce was an important factor under short- term dynamics because of weak food storage facilities.
