MaltaMedia.com

During the fourth quarter of 2009, producer and input prices for agriculture declined by 2.0 and 5.4 per cent respectively over the corresponding quarter of 2008, the NSO said on Wednesday.

The producer price index for agricultural products decreased by 2.0 per cent, from 115.24 in the fourth quarter of 2008 to 112.97 in the corresponding quarter last year. A drop of 21.8 per cent was registered in the fresh vegetables price index, in part resulting from a general increase in the supply of fresh vegetables.

Lower producer prices were recorded for cauliflowers (-41.4 per cent), vegetable marrows (-49.9 per cent), and onions (-35.5 per cent). The price of potatoes rose by 38.0 per cent over the comparative quarter as a result of a decrease in supply.

During the period under review, fruit prices advanced by 18.4 per cent to stand at 139.94 points. This was primarily due to an increase in prices of citrus fruit (+25.3 per cent) over the comparative period in 2008.

The slaughtered animals index went up by 1.7 per cent over the comparative period. Higher prices were registered for poultry (+7.8 per cent) and rabbits (+1.8 per cent). On the other hand, the animal products index registered a decrease of 6.0 per cent on account of lower producer prices fetched for raw milk (-12.7 per cent). This decline was partly mitigated by an increase in egg prices (+18.5 per cent).

The annual average producer price index for 2009 stood at 117.76 points, up by 6.0 per cent over 2008. This resulted from an increase in the producer price index of fresh vegetables (+6.9 per cent), slaughtered animals (+6.0 per cent), forage (+37.3 per cent) and potatoes (+23.3 per cent). On the other hand, the producer price index of fruits and animal products declined by 2.1 and 1.5 per cent respectively.

The input price index for agriculture decreased by 5.4 per cent, from 128.18 in the fourth quarter of 2008 to 121.23 in the comparable quarter of 2009. The goods and services index, which records running cost movements, dropped by 5.8 per cent over the comparative period of 2008. This decline was attributed to lower prices of feeding stuffs (-6.3 per cent) and motor fuels (-18.2 per cent).

The machinery and investment index declined slightly by 0.5 per cent. Lower prices paid for materials (-4.0 per cent) were mitigated by an increase in the buildings index (+3.4 per cent). The annual average input price index for 2009 stood at 121.50 points, down by 5.4 per cent on 2008. Underpinning this result were decreases of 12.4 per cent and 14.4 per cent in animal feeding stuffs and motor fuels.

On the other hand, the machinery and investment index increased by 4.6 per cent on account of higher prices in materials (+5.7 per cent).