Food price index up 16.81 pct y/y on Jan 9 - govt

Food price index rose 16.81 percent in the 12 months to Jan. 9, while the fuel index was up 6.34 percent, the government said on Thursday. The rise in food price index was lower than an annual rise of 17.28 percent in the previous week. India's annual wholesale inflation rose to 7.31 percent in December 2009, compared with 4.78 percent rise in November and 6.15 percent a year ago.