Farm Gate Prices Down In October

Defra's agricultural price index for all outputs fell by 1.27% in October. Inputs also fell by 1.39%. Prices were generally lower than the same time last year with outputs prices falling 9.7% and inputs prices falling 2.1%.

The price index for all crop products fell by 2.7%, fresh fruit fell by 1.36% and fresh vegetables fell by 5.11%. Maincrop potatoes fell by 11.2% and overall potatoes were down 13.5%.

Prices for animal feed fell in October with straight feed down 3.3% and compound feed down 0.1%.

Farm Gate Prices Down In May

The agricultural price index for all outputs fell by 0.8% and the API for inputs fell by 1.4% in May 2014 according to a statistical bulletin from Defra. The prices are lower than the same time last year. The API for all outputs is 8.3% lower and the API for all inputs is 3.4% lower than last year.

All crop prices are down on last year at this time. The biggest differences in output prices are with potatoes (46%), fresh fruit (27%), cereals (18%) and fresh vegetables (18%). On the inputs side, energy and lubricant prices are down for the fourth month in a row. Prices fell by 0.3% in May and are 1% lower than a year ago. Animal feed is down 1.9% on the monthly comparison and 31% down on last year. Fertiliser prices are 2.9% lower in May and 9.1% lower than the same time last year.

Agricultural Producer Prices Up In March

In the monthly API of prices received by producers of agricultural products for March 2011 cereals went up to 251 from 247.9, industrial crops fell to 148.1 from 150.2 and fresh vegetables fell to 129.1 from 141.5. Seeds remained stable. Animal and animal products increased from 146.7 to 150.5 with animals for slaughter or export increasing from 150.4 to 156.4. The total of all products increased to 167.5 in March 2011 from 163.5 in February 2011.

Annual statistics for 2010 show cereals have increased to 171.8 from 150.1 in 2009, industrial crops to 138.8 to 132 and fresh vegetables to 131.9 from 113.9. The total of all crop products increased to 149.2 from 131.1. The total of all products index increased to 144.4 in 2010 from 136 in 2009.

Prices paid by producers for agricultural inputs in March 2011 included energy and lubricants increased in price from an index of 164.3 to 169.6, fertilizers and soil improvers increased from 223.6 to 227.9, plant protection products fell slightly from 103.7 to 103.6 and seeds remained stable. Animal feed fell from 191.6 to 188.7. Maintenance costs generally increased with repair of plant increasing to 132.1 from 131.3 and buildings from 136.7 to 137.4. Veterinary services costs remained stable at 123.9. Other goods and services fell considerably from 150.2 to the more usual 128.9. Machinery and other equipment increased slightly from 125.6 to 126.3 qand buildings from 130 to 132.5. The total for all means of agricultural production fell from 154.9 in February 2011 to 149 in March 2011.

In the annual series, the total of all means of agricultural production increased to 135.8 from 129.9. Within the total, there were increases in the prices of energy and lubricants which increased to 151.4 from 132.9 and animal feed which increased to 160.9 from 152.5. Maintenance costs increased from 121.5 to 126.9 for plant and 122 to 130.4 for buildings. Veterinary costs increased from 104.7 in 2009 to 118.8 in 2010. Machinery and equipment went from 122.1 to 125.3. Buildings increased to 126.9 from 120. There were some decreases. Fertilizers and soil improvers fell to 182.4 in 2010 from 189.8 in 2009 after the massive increases of 2008 (272.5) mainly due to price falls in compound fertilizers and the lime/chalk fertilizers and plant protection products fell across the board from 107.7 to 105.1.