Prices Received by Canadian Farmers Down

OTTAWA - Apr 4/05 - SNS -- Prices received by Canadian farmers is down from year earlier levels, according to Statistics Canada, with the result the January Farm Product Price Index (FPPI) dropped 4.5% below year earlier levels to 93.9, up from a revised December index of 93.

Statistics Canada said, "Overall, producers received prices for crops that were 20.9% below levels in January 2004, continuing a downward trend in year-over-year price changes that began in July 2003. . . Farmers received lower prices for grains, oilseeds, specialty crops and fruit.

"On the other hand, prices for livestock and animal products were 8.5% higher in January than they were a year earlier. This was the eighth consecutive year-over-year increase in the overall livestock and animal products index. Prior to this series of gains, prices for livestock and animal products had been falling for 12 consecutive months."

Prices rose in January for all livestock and animal product indexes. Gains ranged from 0.8% for eggs to 32.2% for hogs over year earlier levels.

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