December 2022 saw increases in producer prices across a number of food products when compared to the same month of 2021, according to data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

In the CSO’s latest Wholesale Price Index, for the month of December, increases were noted for dairy products (up 39.5%); fruit and vegetables (up 19.1%); grain milling, starches, and animal feeds (up 14.6%); and fish and fish products (up 13.7%).

Meat and meat products saw a more marginal increase in producer price, increasing by 3.6% from December 2021 to last month.

Overall, all food products taken together saw an increase in producer price of 10.4% from December 2021 to December 2022.

With all the wholesale price data for 2022 in at this point, it allows for a full-year comparison between 2022 and 2021.

The average producer prices increased throughout 2022 compared to 2021 for all the main food commodities, including:

  • Meat and meat products up 12.2%;
  • Fish and fish products up 12.2%;
  • Fruit and vegetables up 6.2%;
  • Dairy products up 44.4%;
  • Grain milling, starches, and animal feeds up 11.2%.

Comparing 2022 as a whole to 2021 as a whole, producer prices for all foods together increased by 8.7%.

Moving away from food, producer prices for wood and wood products saw an increase of 25.4% in December 2022 compared to December 2021.

Comparing the whole year averages for 2022 to 2021, wood and wood products increased in producer price by 32.5%.

Wholesale electricity prices increased by 10.4% for last month compared to the same month of 2021.

The increase in wholesale electricity prices for 2022 as a whole versus 2021 as a whole was more stark – 66.5%.

Looking at other energy sources, the December 2021 to December 2022 changes in wholesale price were as follows:

  • Petrol down 2.8%;
  • Autodiesel up 7.6%;
  • Gas oil (other than autodiesel) up 14.5%;
  • Fuel oil up 15.7%.

In terms of the whole year changes from 2021 to 2022, the changes in wholesale price were:

  • Petrol up 13.3%;
  • Autodiesel up 21.8%;
  • Gas oil (other than autodiesel) up 35.8%;
  • Fuel oil up 29.6%.
CSO