Retail inflation slowed to four-month low of 5.91 per cent in March and came back to the RBI's comfort zone, mainly due to easing prices of kitchen essentials like vegetables, eggs and meat.

The retail inflation based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 6.58 per cent in February 2020 and 2.86 per cent in March 2019.

The inflation in the food basket was 8.76 per cent in March 2020, lower from 10.81 per cent in the previous month, as per the CPI data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) on Monday.

The retail inflation, which is factored in by the RBI to arrive at its monetary policy, has been on decline since last month. The previous low was 5.54 per cent in November 2019.

The government has asked the RBI to restrict the inflation around 4 per cent, with a margin of 2 per cent on the either side. The retail inflation was ruling above 6 per cent since December 2019.

