Prices of goods leaving Canadian manufacturing plants fell in November as Statistics Canada’s industrial product price index fell by 0.3 per cent after four months of increases, CBC reported today.

“The small drop reflects the weaker pace of growth demonstrated recently by the manufacturing sector,” Statistics Canada said.

“Nevertheless, on a year-over-year basis, prices rose 2.2 per cent, the second highest increase in the last 18 months,” the government agency said.

On a month-to-month basis, however, lower prices for petroleum and coal products, lumber and wood products, pulp and paper, and meat, fish and dairy had a major impact. Higher prices for primary metal products partly offset these decreases, Statistics Canada said.

The industrial product price index reflects the prices that producers in Canada receive as the goods leave the plant gate. The index excludes indirect taxes, transportation, wholesale, and retail costs.