New Delhi, April 22: Asserting that the recent price control measures are likely to moderate inflation and inflationary expectations in the coming weeks, the government today said the wholesale prices of 30 essential food items rose by 5.27 per cent during March, against 3.64 per cent a year ago.

"Containment of inflation remains high on the agenda of the government. These measures are expected to moderate inflation and inflationary expectations in the coming weeks," Minister of state for Finance S S Palanimanickam told Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

The government has taken a slew of anti-inflationary steps like reducing import duty on all edible oils and banning export of wheat, non-basmati rice and pulses in the last few weeks, to check inflation which is hovering over 7 per cent.

Responding to another query, Minister of State for Finance Pawan Kumar Bansal said the wholesale prices of 30 essential food items increased by 5.27 per cent during March, against 3.64 per cent in the same period last year.

Of 30 food items, the maximum price increase was witnessed in edible oils, pulses and jowar, the data released by the minister in the house showed.

The WPI of rapeseed and mustardseed oil rose by 31.6 per cent, groundnut oil by 12.7 per cent and vanaspati by 12.7 per cent during the period under review, it said.

In pulses, masur dal and arhar rose by 30 per cent and 15.2 per cent respectively, while prices of moong and urad dal fell in the range of 16-18 per cent. Among foodgrain, Jowar prices surged by 15.3 per cent followed by rice 8.2 per cent and wheat 5.1 per cent, the data revealed.

Prices of potatoes have also increased by over 10 per cent last month, while the politically sensitive item onion has declined by 22 per cent last month, it added.