(OTTAWA) Sales by Canadian wholesalers, excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons, as well as oilseeds and cereal grains, fell 1.4% to 80.9 billion in April, Statistics Canada reported Friday. .

According to the federal agency, the decline was mainly attributable to the miscellaneous products sub-sector, as well as the food, beverage and tobacco products sub-sector. Sales fell in four of the seven categories she studies.

Sales in the miscellaneous products subsector fell 8.8% to 10.4 billion in April, while those in the food, beverage and tobacco products subsector fell 2.0 % in April to 14.8 billion.

The motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories sub-sector saw its sales increase by 3.2% to 12.7 billion.

Expressed in constant dollars, wholesale sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products and other hydrocarbons, as well as oilseeds and cereal grains, fell 1.4% in April.

Statistics Canada began including sales of petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons, as well as those of oilseeds and cereal grains, in its coverage of wholesale trade earlier this year. However, the agency excludes this data for the first year, to have historical data allowing a fair comparison on an annual basis.