Ammon News - The agricultural producer price index increased by 0.8 percent in the first 11 months of 2024, reaching 109.4 points, compared to 108.6 points during the same period in 2023, according to the Department of Statistics (DoS)' report released on Sunday.

The rise in the index was driven by higher prices for crops like potatoes, zucchini, and eggplant, which accounted for 61 percent of the overall increase. Conversely, there was a decline in the prices of tomatoes, bell peppers, and bananas, which represented 39 percent of the index.

On a monthly scale, the index saw a "significant" rise of 26.3 percent in November 2024, standing at 122.1 points, compared to 96.7 points in November 2023.

The report said the increase was primarily due to higher prices for tomatoes, white cabbage, and thyme, which made up 74.2 percent of the rise, while cucumbers, carrots, and bananas saw price decreases, accounting for 25.8 percent.

The report also highlighted a month-over-month increase in November 2024, with the index rising by 19.8 percent from October 2024's 101.9 points.

Key contributors to this monthly rise included green bell peppers, bell peppers, and red lettuce, which accounted for 41.4 percent of the increase. Meanwhile, the prices of flowers, lemons, and oranges decreased, representing 58.6 percent of the decline, the report showed.

To enhance data quality, the DoS, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, has refined the methodology for collecting agricultural price data.

This process involved a specialized technical committee following the recommendations from the Permanent Committee of Experts for Agricultural Statistics, part of the National Agricultural Strategy. The new methodology relies on monthly data from central markets for all agricultural crops. Petra