The country's annual growth rate of the General Wholesale Price Index (GWPI) decelerated to 16.0 percent in September from 18.6 percent in August. This can be attributed to the slower annual price increments observed in food items at 11.2 percent in September from 11.4 percent in August; crude materials, inedible except fuels, 20.6 percent from 22.7 percent; and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, 42.5 percent from 56.0 percent. However, higher annual growth rates were recorded in the prices of the following commodity groups: beverages and tobacco, 6.8 percent from 4.9 percent; chemicals, including animal and vegetable oils and fats, 9.1 percent from 8.8 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials, 8.0 percent from 7.5 percent; machinery and transport equipment, 3.6 percent from 3.4 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles, 3.3 percent from 2.6 percent.