87.6 percent more was required for ware potatoes.
(Photo: imago images/Countrypixel)
Berlin Even before the start of the war in Ukraine, producers of agricultural products had raised their prices more than they had in almost eleven years. They rose by an average of 22.5 percent in February, as the Federal Statistical Office announced on Wednesday. “This is the highest year-on-year price increase since May 2011,” it said.
Plant products increased in price particularly sharply at 23.8 percent, animal products at 21.4 percent somewhat less sharply. The consequences of the war are not yet apparent from the data, as they were collected on February 15th and thus before the start of the Russian invasion on February 24th. After that, energy and fertilizer prices, for example, rose sharply.
“The price increase in plant products is partly due to the increase in grain prices since July 2020,” the statisticians explained. In February, these were 31.3 percent above the previous year’s level. “The decisive factor for the price increases in grain is the high demand from both German mills and from abroad,” it said.
87.6 percent more was required for ware potatoes. This is mainly attributed to the low harvest quantities due to the weather and a relatively low price level in February 2021: At that time, there was a price collapse of more than 50 percent in the catering trade due to large harvest quantities and a lack of sales opportunities due to Corona. Producer prices for fruit, on the other hand, fell by 12.5 percent this time, with dessert apples becoming cheaper by 8.3 percent.
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The prices for the commercial crop rapeseed rose by 52.2 percent. This surcharge is mainly due to the scarce supply situation combined with high demand, for example for the production of biogas or the use of rapeseed as fuel (biodiesel). In the case of animal products, for example, the price of milk rose very sharply by 30.1 percent. “The main reason for this is still a scarce supply of raw milk,” according to the statisticians. Prices for slaughter pigs rose by 3.6 percent and those for cattle by 32.5 percent.
More: “The second wave of price increases will be in the double digits” – groceries will become even more expensive