German wholesale prices fell by 8.9 percent in May from the same month a year earlier, the biggest annual drop in more than 22 years, figures released on Friday by the national statistics office showed. Wholesale prices rose by 0.1 percent in May from the previous month, the Destatis service said, adding that the 12-month decrease was the steepest in Europe's biggest economy since December 1986, when they shed 9.5 percent. April's 12-month drop was revised to 8.1 percent, but the data showed that wholesale prices continued to decline as Germany struggles with its worst recession since World War II. The figures were partly pulled down by sharply lower prices for fuels and mineral oil products, which cost an average of 23 percent less in May than a year earlier. The cost of minerals, metals and semi-finished metal products were 28.5 percent lower on the year, Destatis said. Figures released on Wednesday showed that German consumer prices were unchanged in May on a 12-month basis for the first time since 1987, further evidence of record low inflation in the 16-nation eurozone. 