New Delhi, March 13 -- The country has surplus grain stocks, and the West Asian conflict has not impacted essential food items like pulses or edible oil, while prices are currently steady, a government official familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

The consumer affairs department is monitoring the availability and prices of all commodities. All-India average retail rates for items such as tomato, peas and cauliflower were 10% lower in February compared to a month ago due to robust arrivals, according to the official.

India's consumer inflation rose for the fourth straight month to 3.21% in February from a year ago and up from 2.75% in the previous month, the statistics ministry said in a release Thursday. Food inflation rose 3.47% ...