Farmers Forum staff
OTTAWA — Increasing livestock prices offset declining crop prices as Canadian farmers saw a 4% year-over-year increase in the Farm Product Price Index (FPPI) in March 2025, marking five straight months of gains, according to Statistics Canada.
The rise was driven by a 17.4% surge in the cattle and calf price index due to strong demand and a shrinking herd, alongside positive index performance for hogs (+13.4%) and dairy (+6%). Crops lagged, with a 1.6% index drop led by lower soybeans (-11.4%) and specialty crop prices like chickpeas (-33.1%).
A price index, such as the FPPI, tracks changes in prices farmers receive for commodities over time, using a base year — 2007 in this case — as a relative benchmark. It reflects economic trends in agriculture, helping farmers, analysts, and policymakers gauge market health without focusing on absolute dollar values.
StatCan released its latest agricultural price index figures in June, concerning March 2025.
