WASHINGTON — The preliminary national average price received by farmers for all wheat in April was $5.69 per bu, down 1c from March and down $4.41 from the April 2008 average of $10.10, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in its latest

The national average price received for winter wheat in April was $5.16 a bu, down 10c from $5.26 in March and down $4.46 from $9.62 in April 2008.

The average price paid for durum was $7.87 a bu, up 24c from $7.63 in March but down $6.43 from $14.30 in April 2008.

The price of spring wheat other than durum averaged $6.27 a bu in April, down 23c from $6.50 in March and down $4.23 from $10.50 in April 2008.

The average price received for rough rice was $15.70 a cwt, up 40c from $15.30 in March and up $1.10 from $14.60 in April 2008.

The preliminary index of prices received for food grains was 201 compared with the 1990-92 base of 100, up 0.5% from a revised March index of 200 but 33% below the April 2008 index of 301.

The April index for feed grains was 169, equal to the revised level from last month but 22% below 218 in April 2008. The average price paid to farmers for corn in April was $3.87 per bu, up 1c from March but down $1.27 from $5.14 in April 2008. Farmers received an average of $5.57 per cwt for gain sorghum in April, up 23c from $5.34 in March but down $3.73 from $9.30 in April 2008. The average price paid for oats in April was $2.16 a bu, down 61c from $2.77 in March and down $1.31 from $3.47 in April 2008.

The U.S.D.A. index of April prices received for oil-bearing crops was 177, up 7.9% from 164 in March but down 18% from 215 in April 2008. The national average price paid to farmers for soybeans was $9.89 a bu, up 77c from $9.12 in March but down $2.11 from $12 in April 2008.

The April index for dairy products was 92, up 2.2% from a revised 90 in March but down 33% from 138 in April 2008. The average price paid for manufacturing grade milk in April was $11.30 per cwt, up 20c from $11.10 in March but down $6.40 from $17.70 in April 2008.

The egg and poultry index was 140, up 2.2% from 137 in March but down 5.4% from 148 in April 2008. The average price paid to farmers for all eggs was 92c per dozen, up 10c from 82c in March but down 11c from $1.03 in April 2008.