Brussels, 04/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - According to figures published by Eurostat on Monday, agricultural prices in the EU have fallen 5.3% in real terms in the third quarter on 2002 compared to the same quarter of 2001. This prices drop was slightly less that in the second quarter of 2002, notes Eurostat, which revealed the most significant decreases in Denmark (-13.7%), Portugal (-10%), and Ireland (-8.9%). The lowest drop was in Italy ((0.4%), followed by Greece (-1.8%), the Netherlands (-3.4%), and Sweden (-4.6%). Significant decreases were noted in the other Member States: Germany (-8.6%), Spain (-8.1%), Austria (-6.9%), the United Kingdom (-6.5%), Belgium (-6.6%), Luxembourg (-6%), Finland (-5.7%), and France (-5%).
Animal and animal product prices fell 7.6% (-17.9% for pork and -9.9% for milk), and those for crop products dropped 2.9% (12.7% for root crops and 11.5% for cereals and rice). Within this sector, only fresh vegetables and flowers recorded a slight increase (0.4% and 2.3% respectively). In the animal and animal product sector, there were price increases of 8.7% for calves and 6.7% for cattle).
The real index for the purchase prices of the means of agricultural production fell slightly in the EU (-1.9%) (still in the third quarter of 2002). Energy (-5.8%) and fertiliser (-4.8%) prices continued to fall, albeit less steeply than in the two previous quarters.