The index of prices received by U.S. farmers for their products in April was +2.0% From March, and +4.4% From a year earlier, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said. April Prices Received Index Increased 2.0 Percent The April Prices Received Index (Agricultural Production), at 96.7, increased 2.0 percent from March 2017. At 93.1, the Crop Production Index increased 6.5 percent. At 99.5, the Livestock Production Index decreased 1.1 percent. Producers received higher prices for lettuce, cattle, broilers, and broccoli but lower prices for market eggs, milk, hogs, and strawberries. Compared with a year earlier, the Prices Received Index is up 4.4 percent. The Crop Production Index increased 8.8 percent and the Livestock Production Index is up 2.2 percent. In addition to prices, the indexes are influenced by the monthly mix of commodities producers market. Increased monthly movement of oranges, lettuce, milk, and strawberries offset the decreased marketing of corn, cattle, soybeans, and hay. The Food Commodities Index, at 101.8, increased 1.4 percent from the previous month and is up 5.6 percent from April 2016. April Prices Paid Index Up 0.4 Percent The April Prices Paid Index for Commodities and Services, Interest, Taxes, and Farm Wage Rates (PPITW), at 106.9, is up 0.4 percent from March 2017 and is up 0.8 percent from April 2016. Higher prices for feeder cattle, hay & forages, nitrogen, and other services more than offset lower prices for feeder pigs, wage rates, complete feeds, and concentrates. Index Summary Table ========================================================================= 2015 2015 2016 2016 Index -------------------------------------------------------- 1990-92=100 Apr May Apr May ========================================================================= Prices Received 92.6 92.6 94.8 96.7 Prices Paid 106.5 106.1 106.5 106.9 Ratio 1/ 88 88 89 91 ========================================================================= 1/ Ratio of index of prices received by farmers to index of prices paid by farmers. Write to Rodney Christian at csstat@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 24, 2017 21:58 ET (01:58 GMT)