Food price index was up 14.55 percent in the 12 months

The food price index was up 14.55 percent in the 12 months to Nov. 7, while the fuel index was down 1.51 percent, the government said on Thursday.

The worst dry spell in nearly four decades and floods in parts of the country have hurt farm output and pushed up food prices.

On Wednesday, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the government might import rice, if the summer-sown crop output was inadequate.

The annual wholesale inflation rose 1.34 percent in October from a year earlier, compared with 0.5 percent in September and 11.06 percent a year ago.