New Delhi: The annual consumer price inflation quickened more than expected to 9.84 percent in September from 9.52 percent in August, government data showed on Monday.

A Reuters poll published last week had forecast consumer inflation accelerating to 9.60 percent in September.

Food prices for consumers last month rose 11.44 percent from a year earlier, faster than August’s 11.06 percent rise.

Higher food prices, unexpectedly, drove up the wholesale price index (WPI) — India’s main inflation measure — to a seven-month high of 6.46 percent in September, government data showed earlier on Monday.