BUENOS AIRES. Sept 8: Argentina ■ Inflation rate fell to 1.3 per cent In August. one of Its lowest levels 1n two decades. government officials announced yesterday, reports AFT

The wholesale price index, meanwhile. declined by 0.4 per cent. Economy Minister Domingo Cavallo said at a pres* conference.

Data collected by the Statistics and Census Institute (tNDEC) showed that Inflation stood at 144.4 per cent tn the past 12 month period. and nt 68.2 per cent to date lor 1981.

While officials in the admin istratlon of President Carlos Menem ended the August Inflation rate the lowest In the post 25 years, excluding the period of price freezes in 1973 implemented during the third administration of the then-President Juan Domingo IVron, IN DEC'S statistics show fully 36 months between 1967 and 1977 with monthly Inflation rates at 1.2 per cent or lower

Health, domestic and food costs each climbed by 2.1 per cent in August, officials said.

INDEC statistics showed Argentina's total cost of living had risen by 16.3 per cent since free convertibility of the Argentine Austral, set at 10,000 per one US Dollar, was implemented.