MUSCAT: Producer prices in the Sultanate of Oman rose 32.7 per cent in the second quarter of 2026 from a year earlier, driven by sharp increases in crude oil, natural gas and refined petroleum product prices, official data showed.
Prices in the mining and quarrying sector increased 31 per cent, reflecting a 31.9-per-cent rise in crude oil and natural gas prices, according to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).
Prices of stone and sand products increased 0.5 per cent, while metal ore prices fell 14.3 per cent from the second quarter of 2025.
The manufacturing producer price index climbed 40.3 per cent, led by a 55.3-per-cent increase in the prices of other transportable goods.
Within that category, refined petroleum product prices recorded the strongest increase, surging 88.2 per cent year on year. Chemical product prices rose 21.4 per cent.
Prices in the metal products, machinery and equipment group increased 31.7 per cent during the quarter.
Iron, steel and aluminium products posted the largest increase within the group, rising 48.9 per cent. Prices of power transformers, electricity distribution equipment and cables climbed 39.8 per cent.
The food products, beverages and textiles group recorded a more moderate increase of 2.8 per cent.
Footwear prices rose 6.7 per cent, the highest increase within the category, while woven fabric prices increased 2.8 per cent.
Utility producer prices also rose during the quarter. Electricity prices increased 13 per cent from a year earlier, while water prices climbed 4.4 per cent, the NCSI data showed.— ONA
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