BEIJING — China’s consumer price index, a main gauge of inflation, grew 1.5 percent year on year in November, up from a rise of 1.3 percent in October, official data showed on Dec 9.

The reading was slightly higher than a 1.4-percent increase for the first 11 months, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said in a statement.

The NBS attributed the rise mainly to rising food prices, as vegetable prices surged 9.4 percent year on year last month, while prices for meat and poultry products rose 6.2 percent.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices stayed flat.

Last month, the producer price index, which measures wholesale inflation, plunged 5.9 percent year on year last month, marking the 45th straight month of decline and showing continued weak market demand.