German producer prices show mixed May 2026 trends across sectors

Official data from Destatis indicate that Germany’s overall producer prices for May 2026 rose 2.2 % compared with May 2025, the strongest annual increase since May 2023. The rise was driven chiefly by higher input‑goods costs, with energy prices up 2.5 % year‑on‑year, metals rising 11.1 % and chemicals 10.4 %. Investment and consumer goods also recorded modest gains.

In contrast, agricultural producer prices fell sharply, declining 13.9 % year‑on‑year. Plant‑based products dropped 10.4 %, led by a 53.5 % plunge in potato prices. Animal‑based products fell 15.9 %, with milk prices 25.3 % lower and slaughter pork 19.5 % down. Prices for some vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers) rose, while apples fell 33.3 %. The data highlight diverging price pressures within the German economy in May 2026.