Agricultural price statistics in the Czech Republic.pdf

510 AGRIC. ECON. – CZECH, 52, 2006 (11): 510–515 The aim of Price Statistics is to provide indices of price levels i.e. changes in the levels of prices, which are suitable for both direct testimony and elimina- tion of price movement by indicators surveyed in the current prices (so-called statistical deflation). The direct testimony on price level movement has to be prompt and tangible. From this point of view, it is useful in practice to pay close attention to monthly price indices of the individual types of prices. The Agriculture Price Statistics exploits selective methods verified by the statistics theory and practice. From those verifications and experience, it is well known that an acquisition of credible information is possible to ensure by a representative sample. Price trends survey is based on a set of the selected products, so-called price representatives. Along with the physical quantities, the selling prices of agricultural products have a decisive influence on farmers’ incomes. It therefore seems useful to have indicators showing how agricultural revenues are influ- enced by their price component. This indicator directly relates to the measurements of price movements and transitional price trends, which are especially used in connection with the analysis of farmers’ incomes. As a tool for measurements in question, there are absolute agriculture prices and on the other hand agricultural price indices. Thus the purpose of the price indices is to provide information on the trends in producer prices of agricultural products and the effect of the relative price changes on agricultural income. AIM AND METHODOLOGY The aim of this contribution is to compare and analyse methods for calculation of the absolute ag- ricultural prices and their price indices. A long time used national methodology varies from the methodol- ogy corresponding to the Eurostat requirements (the European Statistical Office) in a way of weighting, in the str