Food price equalised

In January 2009 the producer price level of agricultural products was 28.2% lower than in the previous year. The price level of crops and horticultural products decreased by 38.6%, while that of live animals and animal products by 3.5%.

In January 2009 the producer prices of
cereals decreased by 50.7% compared to the same month of the previous
year. This significant price fall is a trend reversal of the
tremendous price increase started in 2007, which resulted in the
procurement price of wheat having decreased to the level measured in
January 2007 (33.7 HUF/kg).

At the same time prices of barley and
maize were 8% and 17% lower, respectively, than in the first month of
year 2007. In January 2008 a 74.1% price increase was registered
among cereals compared to the same month a year earlier.

The producer price of oil seeds rose by
8.9% this month compared to January of the previous year, following a
twelve-month increase of 63.6% observed in that period.

The producer prices of potatoes went
down by 26.3% as measured against the first month of 2008.

In the first month of 2009 the producer
prices of fresh vegetables declined by 10.4% compared to January
2008. Among the products having the most significant weight the
prices of cultivated mushrooms increased by 10%, while white cabbage
prices decreased by 22% in this period.

The producer price fall of fruits
(32.4%) this month was mainly influenced by apples, whose producer
prices were 46% lower than in January 2008.

The producer price increase of live
animals (5.2%) stemmed mainly from the price rise of pigs for
slaughter by 16.8%, a significantly lower price increase of cattle
for slaughter (6.9%), and from a 6.7% price decline of poultry for
slaughter. Within the 19.1% price decrease of animal products the
producer price of fresh eggs went up by 5.5%, while that of milk
dropped by 27.7% compared to January 2008. The procurement price of
milk decreased from its peak of January 2008 (96.5 HUF/l) to 66.4
HUF/l this January.