UPDATE 1-Fertilizer exports boost Canada wholesale trade

 (Adds details)

 OTTAWA, July 18 (Reuters) - Canadian wholesale trade rose a
stronger-than-expected 1.6 percent in May from April, the
biggest monthly increase since January, thanks to higher global
demand for fertilizer, Statistics Canada said on Friday.

 The median forecast by analysts surveyed by Reuters was for
a 0.5 percent monthly gain, Statscan said. The government
statistics agency revised the April result to a 1.5 percent
gain from 1.4 percent.

 On a year-on-year basis, wholesale activity in May rose 2.9
percent.

 In volume terms, wholesale trade grew 0.7 percent in the
month.

 Skyrocketing prices and heavy fertilizer demand resulted in
a 9.5 percent surge in sales by the "other products" category,
which includes fertilizers, while farm products posted their
biggest monthly gain in two years, rising at 7.3 percent.

 The auto sector was the only trade group with declining
sales, down 1.5 percent.

 Inventories rose 0.6 percent for the third straight monthly
increase, with a majority of sectors continuing to build up
stock. However, the inventory-to-sales ratio fell to 1.24 in
May from 1.25 in April.

 LINK

 * Statistics Canada report

 here
 (Reporting by Louise Egan; Editing by Peter Galloway)