The forecast for global cereal production in 2014 has been raised closer to last year’s record, which is expected to boost inventories to a multi-year high. Export prices of wheat and maize decreased further in September to multiyear lows, driven by expectations of large global supplies in 2014/15. Even rice prices, which had been rising in previous months, fell in September.

Food Outlook is published by the Trade and Market Division of FAO under Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS). It is a biannual publication focusing on developments affecting global food and feed markets. Each report provides comprehensive assessments and short term forecasts for production, utilization, trade, stocks and prices on a commodity by commodity basis and includes feature articles on topical issues. Food Outlook maintains a close synergy with...

This publication presents evidence with regard to the effectiveness of policies and programmes introduced in response to rising food prices in eight selected Latin American countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru. The case studies provide insights into the economic and policy environment at the time of the first price spike of 2007–08, analyse the measures that were introduced in response and discuss the evidence...

The FAO/GIEWS Country Cereal Balance System (CCBS) is a database of annual supply and utilization balances for main cereals, covering all countries of the world. It has been maintained by FAO/GIEWS since 1980 and is updated on a continual basis. This statistical report, which is a subset of CCBS data, presents the current-year cereal supply and demand balances for all sub-Saharan African countries, highlighting cereal import and food aid requirements...

This technical note revisits the analysis presented in Technical Note No. 9, updating data used in the identification of Import Surges to 2013 to capture recent changes in the global market context of higher and more volatile food prices and significant increases in volumes of imports to food deficit developing countries.

The 2014 main crop harvesting season is about to start and faces difficulties mainly due to labour shortages as a result of movement restrictions following the Ebola outbreak. Disruptions in cross-border trade and marketing activities have resulted in sharp price rises, affecting the food security situation of large numbers of people. An Emergency Operation (EMOP) amounting to 65 000 tonnes was jointly approved by WFP and FAO on 25 August...

Prospects for 2014 global cereal production improve further with upward revisions to coarse grains and wheat forecasts, contributing to an enhanced cereal supply outlook for 2014/15. n International prices of wheat and maize dropped in June, reflecting favourable production prospects, while rice export quotations increased slightly. Cereal export prices were overall lower than their year earlier levels.

Iraq has been plunged into a renewed precarious humanitarian situation with the current escalation of armed conflict. Already the long years of instability have led to protracted humanitarian crises and significant deterioration of both accessibility and the quality of essential services. Although some gains were registered in the last several years in containing food deprivation, civil insecurity, disruptions of markets, limited income and lack of access to sufficient food continue...