Cereals prices suffered the biggest decline among all crops, dropping 50.7pc after a 47.6pc decrease in December 2008. With the new crop last year, a correction of high 2007 prices started in July 2008 with an accelerated decrease in cereal prices. Wheat market prices had returned in January to the level recorded two years before, KSH noted. Potato prices dropped 26.3pc and fruit prices fell 32.4pc, while fresh vegetable prices were down 10.4pc. Oil seed prices rose 8.9pc.
The price decline in the livestock category resulted from a drop in poultry and milk prices and falling prices for animal products. Prices for live animals were still up 5.2pc from a year earlier despite a 6.7pc fall in poultry prices, as hog prices rose 16.8pc and cattle prices went up 6.9pc. Milk prices dropped 27.7pc after a decline of 14.3pc yr/yr in December 2008 and prices for animal products fell 19.1pc. Egg prices rose 5.5pc yr/yr in January, accelerating from a 2.9pc increase in December 2008.