Producer prices in Slovakia continued to edge higher in August, though agriculture posted its weakest growth so far this year, according to new figures from the Statistical Office. Industrial producer prices for the domestic market were 0.8 percent higher than a year earlier. Thirteen of the sixteen monitored industrial sectors reported increases, with transport equipment and food, beverages and tobacco rising by up to 4 percent. The energy sector again exerted downward pressure, with prices 1.5 percent lower than in August 2024. For the first eight months of the year, domestic industrial prices averaged 0.5 percent higher than a year earlier, with a 1.3 percent rise recorded in August compared with July. Prices charged to foreign markets showed stronger momentum, increasing by 1.9 percent year-on-year and by 0.3 percent month-on-month. Between January and August, non-domestic industrial producer prices were 1 percent above their 2024 level. Agriculture showed a more subdued trend. Producer prices rose by 5.2 percent in August compared with a year earlier, marking the lowest increase of 2025 so far. Crop production gained only 2.3 percent, while animal products rose by 12.4 percent. Within crops, cereals, oilseeds and fruits increased by up to 5 percent, and fruits and nuts surged almost 13 percent. By contrast, potatoes were nearly 10 percent cheaper, while fresh vegetables and legumes slipped by about 2 percent. Among animal products, eggs climbed by more than a third year-on-year, raw cow’s milk was up almost 18 percent, and cattle and sheep saw double-digit growth. Pig prices, however, remained under pressure, down 8.3 percent compared with last August. Construction costs also remained firm. Prices in the sector were 4.8 percent higher year-on-year in August, and for the January–August period they rose 5 percent compared with a year earlier. The cost of materials used in construction increased by 2.1 percent in August and by 2 percent across the first eight months. The latest figures confirm a stabilisation of price dynamics compared with the volatility seen in 2023, when agricultural products had slumped by nearly 20 percent year-on-year and industrial producers faced marked declines. By April 2025, agricultural prices were already up 5.2 percent compared with the same month in 2024, while industrial producers selling to domestic and non-domestic markets posted moderate gains. The Statistical Office underlined that since January 2024 all production price data has been recalculated under a revised methodology, reflecting a new base period and updated classifications of economic activities. Source: Statistical Office Slovakia