Agricultural food product prices rise, while production materials prices continu

As the monitoring of MOFCOM indicated, last week (December 8-December 14) the prices of food agricultural products mainly monitored in 36 major and medium-sized cities nationwide increased 0.5% from the same time last week. Twenty-one of the 57 major commodities, or 36.8%, saw increases in prices. Eight commodities, or 14.1%, stayed constant. 28 commodities, 49.8% of the total, saw price decreases.

The breakdown of specific changes is as follows: meat prices fluctuated mildly. Wholesale pork prices rose by 2.4%, beef prices fell by 0.2% and mutton prices remained unchanged. Vegetable prices continued to rise. The wholesale prices of 18 types of vegetables increased by 1.3%, of which the price of six types rose, nine fell and three stayed constant. Grain prices held up well. The retail prices of small package flour and small package rice were constant with those of the previous week. The prices of poultry and eggs fluctuated. The retail price of chicken rose by 0.1%, while the retail price of eggs decreased by 0.5%. Seafood prices stabilized. The average wholesale price of eight major seafood products decreased 0.1%. Cooking oil prices continued to decrease. The retail price of peanut oil, bean oil and rape seed oil went down 1.0%, 0.5% and 0.4% respectively.

Last week, the market price of production materials under key monitoring fell by 0.2% from the previous week. Thirty of the 112 key commodities, 0r 26.8%, saw decreases in price; 48 commodities, or 42.8% maintained their prices; and 34 commodities, or 30.4% saw increases in price. Sorted by category, the prices of nonferrous metals, chemical products, rubber, energy, construction materials and agricultural materials saw decreases.

The prices of light industry raw materials remained unchanged. The prices of steel and mineral ores increased. Sorted by product, A00 Aluminum, crude oil and no. 1 steel prices declined 10.0%, 7.4% and 6.6% respectively. Number 1 lead, benzene anhydride and no. 1 tin increased by 14.7%, 4.4% and 2.6% respectively.