Retail inflation in March inched up to 8.31 per cent from 8.03 in February, mainly on account of a rise in fruit and vegetable prices.The Central Statistics Office said in a statement today that the corresponding provisional inflation rates for rural and urban areas for March were 8.89 per cent and 7.51 per cent, respectively. Inflation rates for rural and urban areas for February were 8.43 per cent and 7.55 per cent, respectively.Vegetable prices increased 16.8 per cent in March as against a 14.04 per cent rise in February. The prices of fruits rose 17.19 per cent compared with a 15.79 per cent increase in February.Retail inflation in protein-rich items such as eggs, fish and meat eased to 9.54 per cent in March from 9.69 per cent in February.However, the price of milk and its products increased 11.02 per cent in March compared with 10.37 per cent in the previous month.