FARM FUEL PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE

The Farm Input Price Survey reports that farm fuel prices continued to rise in February.

According to the survey, the price paid for bulk diesel fuel purchased in February rose by 8.5 per cent over January. Farmers saw the price for bulk gasoline increase by 4.8 per cent, while the price paid for gasoline purchased at the pumps rose by 21.2 per cent over the same period.

Price variability for fuel products was high during February, ranging from 31 to 53 per cent. Fuel prices for bulk diesel, pump gasoline and bulk gasoline reported in February were 32 per cent, 33.1 per cent and 34.5 per cent higher, respectively, than prices reported one year ago.

Phosphate fertilizer saw a 5.6 per cent increase from 2002 prices, while urea increased in price by 13.5 per cent. Urea prices varied substantially over the survey period.

Prices for livestock products also increased over the past month. The cost of one-to-one minerals increased by 8.1 per cent over January 2003 prices. Cobalt salt blocks saw a modest price increase of 2.1 per cent over 2002 prices, while cobalt ionized salt blocks increased in price by 17.1 per cent over this time last year.

The Farm Input Price Survey Report is produced monthly by Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization to provide producers with current information about prices paid for key crop and livestock production inputs.

The data used in the report is collected from a network of Saskatchewan farmers located throughout the province, with survey data gathered directly from producers' transactions. The monthly Farm Input Price Report is available on the Web at www.agr.gov.sk.ca/statistics/surveys.asp.

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For More Information, Contact:

Laurel Pilsner SAFRR Regina Phone: 787-0574