OTTAWA - Canadian producer prices rose in February for the sixth month in a row, edging up by 0.1 per cent from January due in part to higher prices for meat, fish and dairy products, Statistics Canada said on Thursday.

Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast a 0.3 per cent advance over January. Statscan revised January's increase to 0.6 per cent from an initial 0.4 per cent.

Of the 21 major commodity groups, prices climbed in eight, fell in 10 and were unchanged in three.

Stronger demand for frozen pork helped drive overall prices for meat, fish and dairy products up by 1.5 per cent. Primary non-ferrous metal products rose by 1.5 per cent, while prices of energy and petroleum products fell by 0.7 per cent.

Prices for motorized and recreational vehicles fell by 0.4 per cent, largely due to a 0.6 percent increase in the Canadian dollar against the greenback in February. Many vehicles are priced in U.S. dollars and become less expensive when the Canadian currency strengthens.

Raw material prices climbed by 1.2 per cent from January and jumped by 23.7 per cent on an annual basis, the largest year-on-year gain since the 25.3 per cent rise in July 2011. Higher energy prices were largely responsible.