This brief provides an overview of the evolution in bound and applied tariffs with a focus on tariff escalation.

Prolonged dry weather from April to late June in central and southern main cereal producing provinces raises serious concerns for the ongoing 2017 main cropping season. If rains do not improve in coming few weeks the 2017 cereal output may decrease significantly, deteriorating the already dire food insecurity. Immediate interventions are needed to safeguard the 2017 main season cereals.

Crop production: Production of wheat and barley slightly improved in 2017 compared to previous year due better rainfall and improved access to agricultural land in some areas. Livestock: Over the past two years, the herd sizes have stabilized albeit at a very low level. Displacement: About two in five people are on the move inside the country. Humanitarian access: Overall, there is an improvement in terms of humanitarian access compared...

Prevailing severe dry weather conditions, virtually since October 2016, have affected rangelands and crops in large parts of East Africa, causing a serious deterioration of food security conditions in the subregion. Major areas of concern are central and southern Somalia, southeastern Ethiopia, northern and eastern Kenya, northern United Republic of Tanzania, and northeastern and southwestern Uganda. Localized Fall armyworm infestations are likely to further affect yields in the affected areas....

Trade and food standards. This brief emphasizes the importance of applying international food safety standards, and how these standards are applied in the context of WTO agreements based on the jointly prepared publication by FAO and WTO.

International wheat prices generally increased in June on quality concerns amid unfavourable growing conditions for the 2017 crops in some key producing countries. Export prices of maize remained generally unchanged, while rice quotations continued to increase mainly on account of strong demand. In East Africa, cereal prices either remain stable or declined in June with the new 2017 harvests, but remained at near-record levels in several countries. Prices increased sharply...

An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) visited Sri Lanka from 12 to 29 March 2017 at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture to estimate the 2016/17 main maha paddy production, to forecast the ongoing 2017 secondary yala paddy production and to analyse household food security conditions. The request was prompted by a prolonged period of poor rainfall over most of the country throughout 2016 that raised...