TAIPEI -- Taiwan's inflation picked up in February, with the consumer price index (CPI) up 2.97 percent from one year earlier and accelerating from January's 1.15 percent rise.

According to figures released Tuesday by Taiwan's statistics authorities, the prices of fruit, fuel and entertainment witnessed rapid increases last month compared with the same month last year.

On a month-on-month base, the island's CPI edged up 0.48 percent in Feb., compared with the 0.15 percent decline registered in January.

In the first two months, Taiwan's CPI climbed 2.05 percent from one year earlier.