WASHINGTON — The preliminary national average price received by farmers for all wheat in March was $7.63 per bu, up 20c from $7.43 in February, mainly the result of a surge in spring wheat prices, and up $2.93 from $4.70 in March 2010, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its latest Agricultural Prices report.

The average price paid for winter wheat in March was $6.82 a bu, down 21c from $7.03 in February 2011 but up $2.37 from $4.45 in March 2010. The average price paid for durum was $8.58 a bu, up 15c from $8.43 in February and up $4.01 from $4.57 in March 2010. Spring wheat other than durum averaged $8.61 per bu, up 91c from $7.70 in February and up $3.57 from $5.04 in March 2010.

The average price paid for rough rice in March was $13.90 a cwt, up 70c from $13.20 in February but down 40c from $14.30 a year earlier.

The March index of prices received for food grains was 239 compared with the 1990-92 base of 100, up 3.5% from 231 the previous month and up 40% from 171 in March 2010.

The March index for feed grains was 227, down 2% from 232 in February but up 48% from 153 in March 2010. The average price paid to farmers for corn was $5.46 a bu, down 18c from $5.64 in February but up $1.91 from $3.55 in March 2010. Farmers received an average of $10.10 a cwt for grain sorghum in March, down 80c from $10.90 in February but up $4.42 from $5.68 in March 2010. The average price paid for oats in March was $3.12 a bu, down 15c from $3.27 in February 2011 but up 83c from $2.29 in March 2010.

The index of March prices received for oilseeds was 218, down 4% from 228 in February but up 31% from 167 in March 2010. Farmers received an average of $12.10 a bu for soybeans in March, down 60c from $12.70 in February but up $2.71 from $9.39 in March 2010.

The March index for dairy products was 156, up 7% from 146 in February and up 38% from 113 in March 2010. The average price paid to farmers for all milk in March was $22 a cwt, up 60c from $19.40 in February and up $6.10 from $15.90 in March 2010.

The poultry and egg index was 150, up 6% from 142 in February but down 6% from 159 in March 2010. The average price paid to farmers or all eggs in March was 77.4c a dozen, down about 11c from 88c in February and down about 28c from $1.05 in March 2010.