The first quarter inflation rate rose to touch a new height of 5.4 percent in recent years due to the high price increment in major commodities of both food and non-food groups, the Kathmandu Post said Friday.

The latest inflation rate has crossed the budgetary target of 5 percent and is much higher than the inflation rate of 3 percent witnessed during the same period last year, the daily said.

“According to Nepal Rastra Bank’s quarterly National Urban Price Index, food and beverages items, which command 53.20 percent weight in the Index, registered a surge of 4.8 percent against last year’s 2.2 percent,” the daily said.

Among the major components of the group, grains and cereal products, registered an increment of almost 5 percent, the daily said.

Likewise, oil and ghee registered the highest price increment of almost 23 percent mainly due to the global price rise in the principle raw materials of vegetable ghee.

Similarly, non-food and services group registered an increment of 5.8 percent. The medical and personal care registered an increment of 4.1 percent, whereas it was 2 percent for clothes, clothing and sewing, the daily said.