Producer prices for dairy products fell back by 15.4% over the 12-month period to May 2024, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
However, the producer prices for dairy products increased by 0.6% in the month to May 2024.
The producer prices for food products fell by 0.6% in the month and dropped by 6.5% in the 12 months to May 2024.
Decreases in producer prices were also recorded for other food products (down 8.5%) and grain milling, starches and animal feeds (down 6%).
Some products saw increases in producer prices, including fish and fish products (up 6.9%), while bakery products increased very slightly by 0.3% in the 12-month reference period.
The producer prices of meat and meat products dropped by 0.4% in the month to May 2024, and by lowered by 0.9% in the 12 months to May 2024.
The index for wood and wood products fell by 7%, while the all materials Index for construction products rose by 0.3% in May 2024 but fell by 0.3% in the year since May 2023.
The building and construction index (i.e. materials and wages) was up by 0.1% in the month and was 0.7% higher than the same month last year.
Notable annual increases and decreases in construction products include:
- Rough timber (hardwood): 8.1%;
- Sand and gravel: 5.0%;
- Reinforcing metal: -16.3%;
- Bituminous emulsions: -14.0%;
- Structural steel fabricated metal: -9.5%.
There was an increase in the price of wholesale electricity in May 2024 with prices 21.7% higher than the previous month. The price of electricity was 2.4% higher than in May 2023 but was 24.8% lower than in May 2022.
The price index for all energy fuels was down by 3.8% in May 2024 but up by 10.5% in the year since May 2023.
The overall energy products index was up by 14.4% since April 2024 and was 4.3% higher when compared with May 2023.