INDIA'S ANNUAL INFLATION RATE DROPS MARGINALLY The Finance Ministry said India's wholesale-price linked inflation rate dropped marginally to 5.3 pct in all fiscal 1986/87 ended March from 5.8 pct in 1985/86 and 7.1 pct in 1984/85. The average wholesale-price related inflation stood at 5.2 pct in March this year against 5.1 pct a year ago, the Ministry said in a statement. It said wholesale prices of cement, textiles and jute fell in 1986/87, compared with the previous year, but milk, cereals (mainly wheat and rice), fruits and vegetables, edible oils, tobacco and fertilisers were costlier in 1986/87.