Wholesale inflation eased to a seven-month low of 5.05 per cent in January this year, from 6.16 per cent in December last year, amid a decline in the rate of price rise in food articles, mainly vegetables. This is the second straight month that wholesale price based inflation has fallen. Inflation in food articles fell sharply to 8.8 per cent in January, from 13.68 per cent in December, according to official data released today. Inflation in vegetables also dropped sharply to 16.6 per cent in January, from 57.33 per cent in December. The rate of price rise in onions fell to 6.59 per cent, from 39.56 per cent. But inflation in manufactured products such as sugar and edible oils rose marginally to 2.76 per cent in January. Data released earlier this week had showed that retail inflation declined to a 2-year low of 8.79 per cent in January.