Fuel prices keep producer prices down
Embargoed until 10:45am – 18 May 2016
The costs paid by fuel manufacturers have fallen by more than half since mid-2012, mainly due to falls in
crude oil prices, Statistics New Zealand said today.
“The petroleum and coal product manufacturing industry makes a broad range of fuel products,
including petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel,” business prices manager Sarah Williams said.
Input prices (costs paid) for the petroleum and coal product manufacturing industry fell 22 percent in the
March 2016 quarter. Over the same period, the prices received by these manufacturers (outputs) fell 18
percent.
“The output of this industry is an important input to many other industries,” Sarah Williams said. “For
example, price falls in fuel contributed to a lower cost of production for the transport and construction
industries.”
Changes in fuel prices also affect farmers. These changes had a downward influence on the input costs
for farmers, which fell 0.3 percent in the March quarter.
Ultimately these price changes affect what we pay as households. For example, petrol prices fell 7.7
percent, as measured by the consumers price index (CPI).
See Business Price Indexes: March 2016 quarter for more information.
Ends
For media enquiries contact: Sarah Williams, Wellington 931 4600, [email protected]
Authorised by Liz MacPherson, Government Statistician, 18 May 2016
2