News Release - Producer price indices - April

In April 2009, compared with the previous month, industrial and agricultural producer prices fell by 0.5% and 0.2% respectively. Construction work prices remained unchanged and market services prices grew by 0.4%.
In comparison to April 2008, agricultural and industrial producer prices fell by 29.2% and 2.5% respectively. Construction work prices increased by 1.9% and market services prices by 1.7%.
Monthly changes

Agricultural producer prices decreased by 0,2% in total. Prices of crop products fell by 0.8%, decreased the prices of cereals (-2.3%) and oil plants (-2.7%). The prices of vegetables (+18.9%) and fruits (+7.3%) grew. Prices of animal products increased by 0.5% due to a price growth of pigs for slaughter (+3.9%), poultry (+1.0%) and cattle for slaughter (+0.2%). The prices of milk (-1.5%) and eggs (-2.4%) went down.

Industrial producer prices decreased by 0.5%. Prices went down especially in ‘basic metals, fabricated metal products’ (-2.7%) and ‘electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning (-0.9%; switch to the summer prices of electricity for major consumers and lower prices of steam and hot water). Prices increased particularly in ‘coke, refined petroleum products’ (+3.2%) and ‘chemicals, chemical products’ (+3.6%).

Construction work prices remained unchanged, construction material input prices decreased by 0.5%.

Market services prices in the business sphere grew by 0.4%. Prices increased especially in advertising and market research services (+3.5%).


Annual changes

Agricultural producer prices were down by 29.2% (-28.6% in March 2009). Prices of crop products fell by 36.9%, mainly due to price decreases in cereals (-48.3%) and oil plants (-42.5%). On the decrease were prices of fruit (-28.8%) and vegetables (-13.0%). The prices of hops grew considerably (+120.5%). Prices of animal products dropped by 18.0%. Decreases were registered for prices of milk (-36.8%), poultry (-10.2%) and eggs (-1.7%). Prices of pigs for slaughter (+8.9%) and cattle for slaughter (+2.1%) grew.

Industrial producer prices were down by 2.5% (-2.0% in March). This is the largest annual fall from the beginning of the observation (year 1991). Prices decreased in ‘coke, refined petroleum products’ (-35.9%), ‘basic metals, fabricated metal products’ (-4.2%) and ‘food products, beverages and tobacco’ (-3.6%), of these especially ‘grain mill products’ (-21.4%), ‘prepared animal feed’ (-18.8%) and ‘dairy products’ (-13.4%). Prices increased mainly in ‘electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning’ (+11.0%).
Among the main industrial groupings, prices of ‘intermediate goods’ (-5.5%) and ‘energy’ (-3.7%) decreased the most; the highest increases were recorded for ‘durable consumer goods’ (+2.1%) and ‘capital goods’ (+1.7%).

Construction work prices increased by 1.9% (+2.3% in March), construction material input prices were down by 3.3% (-2.3% in March).

Market services prices in the business sphere rose by 1.7% (+2.0% in March), reflecting the price growth in advertising and market research services (+7.7%), computer programming, consultancy (+7.2%), and office administrative and other support services (+6.5%). In contrast, prices of telecommunications services and freight transport services dropped by 1.8% and 3.5% respectively.


Industrial producer prices in the EU – March 2009*

According to the Eurostat news release, industrial producer prices in the EU27 were down by 0.8% in March 2009 compared with February 2009 (-0.3% in February 2009 compared with January 2009). Among the member states for which data are available, the highest decreases were recorded in Lithuania and the Netherlands (both -2.1%) and in Cyprus (-1.7%). Prices decreased in Slovakia (-1.1%) and Germany (-0.7%). The highest price increases were recorded in Bulgaria (+1.1%), Denmark (+0.4%) and Sweden (+0.1%). No price change was recorded in Slovenia.

In comparison with March 2008, EU27 producer prices were down by 2.3% (-0.7% in February 2009 compared with February 2008). Prices decreased the most in Greece (-6.8%), the Netherlands (-6.7%), France (-5.5%) and Finland (-5.0%). Prices in Germany went down by 0.3%. The highest increases were observed in Malta (+38.5%, estimate by Eurostat), Hungary (+4.6%) and Romania (+3.8%). Prices in Slovakia went up by 0.5%.

* Preliminary data
As from January 2009, the industrial producer price index and the market services price index are compiled, calculated and disseminated in accordance with the classifications CZ-NACE Rev. 2 and CZ-CPA 2008. In comparison to CZ-CPA 2002, the most important changes concern industry (Sections B, C and D). The changes apply to all breakdown levels and the substantial changes at the level of subsections are set out in Table 4. The price indices are recalculated back to 1991; the market services price indices back to 1994.
Exhaustive information on the new classification is available on the website of the Czech Statistical Office at /classifications.
Notes
Contact: Miloslav Beranek, phone (+420) 274 052 665, e-mail: miloslav.beranek@csu.gov.cz
Hana Sykorova, phone (+420) 274 054 101, e-mail: hana.sykorova@csu.gov.cz
Source of data: CZSO survey
End of data collection / end of data processing:
Agricultural producer price indices: 24th calendar day of reference month / 8th calendar day of the following month
Industrial producer price indices: 20th calendar day of reference month / 7th calendar day of the following month
Construction work price indices: last calendar day of reference month / 5th working day of the following month
Market services price indices: 15th calendar day of reference month / 7th calendar day of the following month
Except for the construction work price indices, the data are finalised. Construction work price indices are updated using the finished quarterly survey and the finalised data are released on the 45th calendar day of the following quarter.
Related publications: 7001-09 Price Indices of Construction Work, Types of Constructions and Construction Production Costs
7003-09 Producer Price Indices – Basic Information
7004-09 Industrial Producer Price Indices
7005-09 Agricultural Producer Price Indices
7008-09 Market Services Price Indices in the Business Sphere
( http://www.czso.cz/csu/2009edicniplan.nsf/engs/2009-7 )