Agricultural producer prices rose by 2.4 percent in May 2025 compared to the same month of the previous year. This increase follows a rate of +3.2 percent in April and +1.6 percent in March, according to data released Monday by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). Month-over-month, agricultural producer prices increased by 0.5 percent in May.
Prices for both plant-based and animal products exhibited divergent trends, as they have in previous months. Plant-based product prices decreased by 10.8 percent compared to May 2024, while prices for animals and animal products rose by 11.6 percent. Following the same pattern, prices for plant-based products were cheaper (-2.5 percent), while animal products became more expensive (+2.2 percent) compared to the prior month.
The 10.8 percent decline in plant-based product prices year-over-year is largely attributable to reduced prices for seed potatoes, which were 41.3 percent lower than in May 2024. This follows reductions of 40.0 percent in April and 38.4 percent in March. Seed potato prices also fell by 2.1 percent compared to the previous month.
Vegetable prices decreased by 6.6 percent over the annual period, with particularly noticeable reductions in cauliflower (-27.2 percent), cucumbers (-14.4 percent) and iceberg lettuce (-13.4 percent). Conversely, prices for asparagus and cultivated mushrooms saw increases of 9.4 percent and 5.2 percent, respectively.
Fruit producer prices were 15.9 percent higher in May 2025 compared to the same period last year. Table apples experienced significant price increases (+24.0 percent), while strawberries were slightly cheaper, decreasing by 1.1 percent.
Grain prices were 0.7 percent lower compared to May 2024, a contrast to the +8.9 percent increase seen in April. Overall, prices for commercial crops were 9.4 percent lower year-over-year, although rapeseed prices saw an increase of 9.8 percent. Prices for forage crops continued to decline, down 14.4 percent compared to the previous year, a trend that followed an 11.7 percent decrease in April. Wine prices increased by 1.5 percent.
The 11.6 percent rise in prices for animals and animal products year-over-year is notably driven by higher milk prices, which were 17.9 percent higher in May 2025 compared to May 2024. Milk prices also increased 0.4 percent compared to April. Egg prices rose by 6.2 percent over the annual period, following a 5.4 percent increase in April.
Prices for livestock were 7.8 percent higher than in May 2024, a change largely influenced by a 41.6 percent increase in cattle prices. Slaughter pigs, however, saw prices decrease by 8.3 percent. Poultry prices increased by 10.2 percent, fuelled by price increases in chickens (+9.9 percent) and other poultry (ducks and turkeys) (+10.6 percent).