Prices paid by New Zealand producers for goods and services rose by an overall 0.5 percent in the December 2011 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today. In contrast, prices for goods and services produced in New Zealand, as measured by the producers price index (PPI), remained virtually unchanged (up 0.1 percent). Higher farm-gate milk prices were the main influence on this quarter's PPI. The prices paid to dairy farmers were up 3.3 percent for the December 2011 quarter, but down 4.7 percent on an annual basis. Prices received by sheep, beef cattle, and grain farmers were also a major contributor, with prices ... (full story)