FARM FUEL PRICES RISE

The Farm Input Price Survey reports that farm fuel prices rose in January.

According to the survey, the price paid for bulk diesel fuel purchased in January rose by 3.1 per cent over December. Farmers saw the price for bulk gasoline increase by 6.2 per cent, and the price paid for gasoline purchased at the pumps rose by 11.3 per cent over the same period.

Although fuel prices had leveled out in the fall of 2002, the fuel prices for bulk diesel, pump gasoline and bulk gasoline reported in January were 24.6 per cent, 27.1 per cent and 36.5 per cent higher, respectively, than prices reported one year ago.

The price paid for the livestock item one-to-one minerals remained relatively stable, increasing by less than one per cent.

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:

Brian Machin Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization Regina Phone: 787-5955