Led by lower fruit and vegetable prices, food inflation softened to 16.81 per cent for the week ended January 9. But pulses and potatoes continued to cost dearer. Food inflation had stood at 17.28 per cent for the week ending January 2. On a year-over-year basis, prices of vegetables rose by 7.95 per cent and of fruits by 3.73 per cent. Milk prices jumped 13.95 per cent compared to last year. Inflation for primary articles, which includes food and non-food items, stood at 13.93 per cent in the reporting week, over the previous year.