FAO's Markets and Trade Division (EST), with its expertise on world agricultural trade, provides analytical and policy information to the United Nations (UN) community, global stakeholders, and beyond. EST keeps a comprehensive market intelligence service of the main agricultural commodities, and houses the Secretariats of the Committee on Commodity Problems (CCP), the Intergovernmental Commodity Groups (IGGs), and the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS). EST also manages early warnings of food shortfalls.
Global commodity markets
monitors major agricultural commodities, including basic foodstuffs, tropical products and raw materials.
Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS)
is the leading source of information on world food production and food security, and it monitors world supply of and demand for basic food.
Trade policy & partnerships
promotes transparent, efficient agricultural commodity markets and trade by supporting its members, including facilitating multistakeholder partnerships.
Emerging trends, challenges and opportunities
produces multidisciplinary analyses related to agricultural trade and markets, and guidance for responsible value chains.
Featured publications
 | The State of Agricultural Commodity MarketsThe State of Agricultural Commodity Markets presents commodity market issues in an objective and accessible way to policy-makers, commodity market observers and stakeholders interested in agricultural commodity market developments and their impacts on countries at different levels of economic development. |
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Food Outlook - Biannual Report on Global Food MarketsThe Food Outlook is a biannual publication, focusing on developments affecting global food and feed markets. It provides comprehensive assessments and short-term forecasts for production, utilization, trade, stocks and prices on a commodity-by-commodity basis, along with feature articles on topical issues. |
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OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook
The Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033 is a collaborative effort of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). It brings together the commodity,
policy and country expertise of both organisations as well as input from collaborating member countries to provide an annual assessment of the prospects for the coming decade of national, regional and global agricultural commodity
markets.
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 | Crop Prospects and Food Situation FAO assesses that globally 45 countries, including 33 in Africa, nine in Asia, two in Latin America and the Caribbean and one in Europe, are in need of external assistance for food. Although drought conditions eased in East Africa, production prospects remain unfavourable in 2023, while conflicts in several parts of the African continent are aggravating food security concerns. |
Latest publications
Journal; magazine; bulletin
Responsible Business Conduct Quarterly. Bulletin No. 10, July–September 2024
31/10/2024
https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cd3023en
Book (stand-alone)
Hunger Hotspots - FAO–WFP early warnings on acute food insecurity: November 2024 to May 2025 outlook
31/10/2024
In the current edition of a regular joint bi-yearly report, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme...
Journal; magazine; bulletin
Food Price Monitoring and Analysis (FPMA) Bulletin #8, 11 October 2024
16/10/2024
Global wheat prices increased in September 2024, driven by concerns over unfavourable weather conditions in a number of key exporting countries. International...
Booklet
Integrating responsible business conduct in avocado production and export
15/10/2024
The FAO technical guide, “Responsible business conduct in the avocado industry: a guide for producers and exporters”, was developed to support export-oriented...
Booklet
Integrating responsible business conduct in pineapple production and export
15/10/2024
The FAO technical guide, “Responsible business conduct in the pineapple industry: a guide for producers and exporters”, was developed to support export-oriented...
Journal; magazine; bulletin
Monthly price update. Oilseeds, Oils and Meals, No. 183, October 2024
10/10/2024
In September 2024, all three FAO price indices tracking the developments of the components of the oilcrops complex appreciated month-on-month. While...
Booklet
Unfair trading practices in business-to-business relationships in agricultural supply chains: a growing concern
08/10/2024
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the imbalances in bargaining power between suppliers and buyers of agricultural and food products, already...
Brochure (factsheet; flyer/leaflet; Poster; banner)
Sustainable management of plastics in the banana industry
04/10/2024
According to FAO’s 2021 report "Assessment of Agricultural Plastics and Their Sustainability: A Call for Action", the use of plastics in agriculture...
Book (stand-alone)
Report of the Fourth Global Conference of the World Banana Forum - FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy, 12-13 March 2024
02/10/2024
The Fourth Global Conference of the World Banana Forum (WBF) took place at the FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy, on 12 and 13 March 2024. Moreover, the...
Booklet
Are you ready to lead? Using responsible business conduct to address risks in avocado businesses
27/09/2024
Responsible business conduct (RBC), implemented through due diligence, can help avocado producers and businesses improve the sustainability of their...
Special committees
Podcasts
SOFI 2024 - Maximo Torero on the latest hunger data
14/10/2024
Around 733 million people faced hunger in 2023, equivalent to one in eleven people globally and one in five in Africa, according to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report. Tune in to the FAO Talks podcast with FAO’s Chief Economist Máximo Torero to explore the causes of global hunger.
FAO Brief - 14 October 2024
14/10/2024
In this episode, FAO hosts the fourth edition of the World Food Forum, the largest annual gathering of agrifood systems stakeholders globally in Rome, Italy from 14 to 18 October ; rises in September with quotations up for all covered commodity groups, led by sugar.
Videos
Honouring women around the world, from crop to cup
23/05/2024
Tea is more than a commodity, it’s a culture, a way of life. A universal symbol of comfort and good health. Much more than a beverage, tea generates employment and income worldwide, enriching the livelihoods of millions of people, empowering whole communities to thrive over generations, and providing stability in an ever-changing world.
The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets 2022 (SOCO)
28/06/2022
This edition of The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (SOCO) discusses how trade policies, based on both multilateral and regional approaches, can address today’s challenges for sustainable development.
Online database applications
Commodity policy development tool
Commodity markets
FPMA
Food Price Monitoring and Analysis
AMIS
Agricultural Market Information System
Upcoming events
7/ 10
2024
World Cotton Day | 7 October
Cotonou (Benin), Hybrid Event, 07/10/2024
Cotton, the fabric of our lives.
Cotton touches us every day, it is a source of livelihoods for millions of smallholders and labourers, including women and their families, and contributes significantly to the economies of many developing countries.
The World Cotton Day is an excellent opportunity to renew our ...
Related websites
- World Food Situation
- FAO Food Price Index
- FAO Price Data and Analysis
- FAO Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) in Agriculture
- FAO Trade
- FAO Policy Portal
- International Platform for Digital Food and Agriculture
Related links
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