Manufactured products cost much more

In September, factory gate prices in the Dutch manufacturing industry were 5.4 percent up on the same month in 2006. The price increase was twice as large as in August and the most substantial in more than a year.

Prices of crude oil and oil products have a substantial effect on Dutch factory gate prices. Selling prices of the petroleum processing and refining industry were almost 11 percent higher than in September 2006. For the first time in over a year prices were higher than twelve months before, after a period in which these products were consistently cheaper than the same month one year previously.

Products of the food industry cost far more than twelve months previously as well: selling prices were 13 percent higher. At the end of 2006, the price rise in this sector of industry was about 2 percent, but it has been growing continuously ever since. Price rises in this sector have been in double digits since July.

Not all products of the manufacturing industry were more expensive however. In the basic metalindustry prices were down on September 2006, by 1 percent. In August prices also decreased - for the first time in more than three years.

Factory gate prices in the manufacturing industry were on average 0.9 percent up on August. Prices of products sold on the domestic market rose by slightly more than those of exported goods.

Factory gate prices