Food inflation has eased marginally. It has come down to 16.81 per cent for the week ended January 9 from 17.28 per cent in the previous week. The inflation eased due to four percent lower prices of Bajra, three percent of tea, two percent of maize and one percent each of Arhar, fruits and vegetable. It, however jumped by two percent in the case of jowar and gram and one percent in wheat and Barley. According to official data released today the annual rate of inflation has come down by point nine percent. It was at 6.25 percent on 9th of January this year as compared to 6.34 percent in the same period last year. The whole sale price index for the period however rose by 0.4 percent. It reached to 284.6 from 283.4 in the same period.