Statistics Canada says wholesale sales excluding petroleum fell 0.1 per cent to $85.6 billion in March, led by a drop in the miscellaneous subsector and the machinery equipment and supplies subsector.
Overall, sales fell in four of the seven subsectors tracked by the agency.
Statistics Canada says sales in the miscellaneous subsector fell 6.1 per cent to $11.4 billion as sales in the agricultural supplies industry group fell 15.5 per cent to $4.1 billion.
The machinery, equipment and supplies subsector dropped 2.0 per cent to $18.0 billion in March as the computer and communications equipment and supplies industry group fell 9.2 per cent to $4.9 billion,
Sales from the farm product subsector rose 19.1 per cent to $4.7 billion.
Constant dollar sales excluding petroleum fell 0.3 per cent in March.