Rome, Italy
December 18, 2008
- As the year draws to a close,
FAO’s latest estimates confirm that a new record high level of
global cereal production was achieved in 2008, sufficient to
cover the expected increase in utilization in 2008/09 and also
allow for a moderate replenishment of world reserves.
- Most of the increase in production this year has been among
the developed countries, with that in the developing countries
rising just marginally. In the developing group, outputs
rose somewhat more among the Low-Income Food-Deficit Countries,
especially in countries where agriculture production support was
provided by governments.
- International cereal prices have continued to fall over the
past months. In the first two weeks of December, the prices
for wheat and coarse grains averaged respectively 40 percent and
20 percent less than the December average last year. For rice,
however, the price of the benchmark Thai variety, although well
down from its peak in May, remained 54 percent above the
December average last year.
- Despite the decline of international cereal prices, food
prices remain at high levels in developing countries and in
several continue to increase, affecting the food security of
large numbers of vulnerable populations. In Afghanistan,
Eritrea and Ethiopia prices of food staples are twice or more
their levels of a year earlier.
- Smaller winter wheat plantings for the 2009 harvest are
reported in several major producing countries in Europe and
North America, in response to lower international prices and
prospects of reduced demand in view of the global economic
crisis, and the high cost of inputs.
- In Southern Africa, where the food situation is tight
following last year’s reduced harvest in several countries and
persistent high food prices, the late start of the 2008/09
rainy season and anticipated lower plantings in the largest
producer South Africa may negatively affect 2009 production.
- In Western Africa, a bumper 2008 cereal harvest is being
gathered, particularly in the Sahelian countries where the
aggregate output is estimated to have increased by one-third
from 2007. This reflects good weather and production support
measures.
- In Eastern Africa, the "short-rains" season from
October has been very favourable for pastoral and agro-pastoral
areas including central and southern Somalia, north-western
Kenya and south-eastern Ethiopia where millions have suffered
severe food problems after repeated poor seasons.
- Notwithstanding an improved outlook for global cereal
supplies in 2008/09, 33 countries around the world are estimated
to be in need of external assistance as a result of crop
failures, conflict or insecurity and high domestic food prices.
In Zimbabwe, where the number of food insecure is estimated at
5.1 million, a recent outbreak of cholera poses an additional
serious threat to health and nutrition of the vulnerable
population. In the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, an
estimated 8.7 million people, or around 40 percent of the
population, urgently need food assistance.
Read:
http://www.fao.org/docrep/011/ai476e/ai476e00.htm |
|
