Commodity Values Eased in October

OTTAWA - Jan 8/07 - SNS -- Average returns from the sale of crops and livestock slipped in October when compared to year earlier levels, reports Statistics Canada. The Farm Product Price Index finished the month at 92 points, down from 94.1 in September and 94.5 last year.

Its preliminary estimates of prices producers received for crops showed they were down 3.5% from last year's upwardly revised values, as lower overall prices were recorded for all crops except potatoes.

Prices for livestock and animal products were 4.7% below the year earlier level. This was the second consecutive decline for the overall livestock and animal products index in six months. Lower prices were recorded for cattle and calves, hogs and poultry.

Prices farmers received for their commodities fell 2.2% from September to October, as declines were recorded in both the overall crops index and the livestock and animal products index.

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