WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — The preliminary U.S. average price received by farmers for all wheat in April was $6.87 per bushel, down 32¢ from $7.19 in March and down $1.14 from $8.01 in April 2011, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in its latest Agricultural Prices report.

The average price paid for winter wheat in April was $6.31 per bushel, down 37¢ from $6.68 in March and down $1.06 from $7.37 in April 2011. The average price paid for durum was $8.11, down 24¢ from March and down 49¢ from $8.60 a year earlier. Spring wheat other than durum averaged $7.92 a bushel, down 12¢ from $8.04 in March and down 75¢ from $8.67 in April 2011.

The average price paid for all rice was $14.30 a cwt, up 70¢ from March and up $1.20 from $13.10 a year earlier.

The April index of prices received by farmers for food grains was 223, compared with the 1990-1992 base of 100, down 2% from 227 the previous month and down 9% from 244 in April 2011.

The April index of feed grains was 265, down 2% from 271 in March but up 1% from 263 in April 2011. The average price paid to farmers for corn was $6.14 a bushel, down 21¢ from March and down 22¢ from $6.36 in April 2011. Farmers received an average of $10.40 a cwt for grain sorghum in April, down 50¢ from March and down $1.30 from $11.70 in April 2011.

The average price paid for oats in April was $3.60 a bushel, down 19¢ from $3.79 in March but up 6¢ from $3.54 in April 2011.

The index of April prices received for oilseeds was 247, up 6% from 233 in March and up 5% from 235 in April 2011. Farmers received an average of $13.80 a bushel for soybeans in April, up 80¢ from $13 in March and up 70¢ from $13.10 in April 2011.