Global food prices retreat to 2-year low despite major rice surge

Global food prices retreat to 2-year low despite major rice surge

World value index eased in August to a brand new two-year low, the United Nations meals company mentioned Friday, reversing a rebound seen the earlier month, as a decline in most meals commodities offset will increase for rice and sugar.

The Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) value index, which tracks probably the most globally traded meals commodities, averaged 121.4 factors in August towards a revised 124 for the earlier month, the company mentioned Friday.

The July studying was initially given as 123.9 in a rebound from a two-year low in June.

The August determine was the bottom since March 2021 and likewise 24% under an all-time excessive reached in March 2022 within the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The drop within the general index mirrored declines for dairy merchandise, vegetable oils, meat and cereals, regardless of a leap in FAO’s rice benchmark to a 15-year excessive following Indian export restrictions, the company mentioned.

FAO’s cereal index edged down 0.7% from July as wheat costs fell within the face of northern hemisphere harvests whereas maize (corn) fell for a seventh straight month to a close to three-year low, pressured by a report Brazilian crop and the approaching U.S. harvest, it mentioned.

In distinction, the company’s rice index reached a 15-year excessive as India’s choice in July to ban Indica white rice exports disrupted commerce at a time of tight availabilities forward of new-crop harvests, FAO mentioned.

Rise costs surged by virtually 10% month-over-month, the info confirmed. India accounts for over 40% of all world rice shipments.

“Uncertainty about the ban’s duration and concerns over export restrictions caused supply-chain actors to hold on to stocks, re-negotiate contracts or stop making price offers, thereby limiting most trade to small volumes and previously concluded sales,” the U.N. company mentioned.

Rice is a significant world meals staple and costs on worldwide markets have soared within the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the warfare in Ukraine and the affect of the El Nino climate phenomenon on manufacturing ranges.

FAO’s sugar index rose 1.3% month-over-month in August, placing it 34% above the year-earlier stage, supported by considerations concerning the affect of the El Nino on world manufacturing.

Vegetable oil costs have been down 3.1% in August, whereas dairy costs slipped 4%, an eighth straight month-to-month drop that mirrored ample provide in Oceania and slower Chinese imports.

In a separate report on cereal provide and demand, the FAO forecast world cereal manufacturing this 12 months at practically 2.815 billion tons, down barely from a earlier estimate of two.819 billion.

The newest forecast was nonetheless up 0.9% in 2022 and matched report output from 2021, the FAO mentioned.

The downward revision primarily mirrored a minimize to projected wheat output as dry climate affected Canada and the European Union and heavy rain affected Chinese crops, FAO mentioned.

The Daily Sabah Newsletter

Keep updated with what’s taking place in Turkey,
it’s area and the world.


You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you might be agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
This website is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Source: www.dailysabah.com