USDA: Potato Price Rises; Fertilizer Falls

Published online: Sep 11, 2013 USDA
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The August index for all crops, at 213, decreased 7.4 percent from July and 8.6 percent from August 2012. Index decreases for feed grains and hay and oilseeds more than offset index increases for food grains.

The August index for food grains, at 232, is 0.4 percent below the previous month and 12 percent lower than a year ago.

The August price for all wheat, at $6.91 per bushel, is down 2 cents from July and $1.13 below August 2012.

The August index for feed grains and hay, at 258, is down 9.8 percent from July and 17 percent below a year ago. The corn price, at $6.02 per bushel, is 77 cents lower than July and $1.61 below August 2012. The all hay price, at $180 per ton, is down $10 from July and $3 below last August.

The August index for potatoes, at 189, is down 18 percent from July but 31 percent above August 2012. The all dry bean price, at $41.60 per hundredweight, is up $1.10 from the previous month and $1.80 above August 2012.

The August index for livestock and livestock-related products, at 163, is 0.6 percent below July but is 5.8 percent higher than August 2012. Compared with a year ago, prices are higher for broilers, hogs, milk, cattle, and calves. Prices for turkeys and eggs are down from last year.

The August index for meat animals, at 164, is up 0.6 percent from July and 5.1 percent higher than last year. The August index for dairy prices, at 148, is up 2.1 percent from a month ago and 6.5 percent higher than last year.

The August index for poultry and eggs, at 173, is down 4.4 percent from July but is 7.5 percent above a year ago.

The August production index, at 235, increased 0.4 percent from July and 1.7 percent from last year.

Prices for feed, livestock, fuels and machinery are up from August 2012, but fertilizer prices are down from August 2012 and July 2013.

The August index for feed, at 280, increased 1.8 percent from July but decreased 2.8 percent from last August.

The August index for poultry, at 169, increased 4.3 percent from July and 12 percent from last year.

Since July, prices for feeder cattle and feeder pigs are higher. The August feeder cattle price, at $149.20 per hundredweight, is up $6.30 per hundredweight from the July price. August feeder pigs averaged $134 per hundredweight, up $8 per hundredweight from July.

The August index for fertilizer, at 299, is down 4.5 percent from July and 6.6 percent below August a year ago.

The August index for chemicals, at 158, is unchanged from July but increased 2.6 percent from last August. Compared with July, prices for herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides/other chemicals are higher.

The August index for fuels, at 358, is up 2 percent from a month earlier, but 0.3 percent below August 2012. Compared with July, prices are higher for LP gas and diesel, but lower for gasoline.

The August index for machinery, at 265, increased 0.4 percent from July and is 2.7 percent above last August.