Prospects for global cereal production in 2016 continued to improve in recent months with significant upward revisions for maize and wheat, reflecting particularly favourable weather conditions in some of the large producing countries. Countries in need of external assistance: FAO estimates that 36 countries, including 28 in Africa, are in need of external assistance for food. Persisting conflicts and drought induced production declines are the main causes that have stressed...

Ample supplies and improved production prospects kept cereal prices generally under downward pressure. Maize and rice quotations fell the most, while high quality wheat prices firmed on strong demand. In Africa, food prices in South Sudan declined in August although they remained high, while in Nigeria the weak currency continued to underpin prices. In Southern Africa, decreasing maize quotations in South Africa eased prices in importing countries. In Asia, domestic...

Severe localized floods during the first half of the 2016 monsoon season have affected large numbers of people, causing deaths and injuries, loss of livestock and food supplies, and damage to housing and infrastructure. While the severe floods have had large negative impacts, the above-average rains helped alleviate dryness in areas affected by El Niño in the 2015/16 agricultural season, benefitting planting and early development of the 2016 main season...

Statistical report presenting cereal supply and demand balance for current year in sub-Saharan African countries. This report is based on information available as of August 2016.

International grain prices declined significantly in July, with those of wheat weighed down by seasonal harvest pressure and maize quotations falling on account of generally favourable weather for developing crops. Prices of rice showed mixed trends in Asian origins, while they increased in main exporting countries of South America. In Africa, food prices soared in July in South Sudan driven by the recent upsurge in insecurity. In Nigeria, the weak...

This policy brief provides an overview of the different food security objectives that underlie the use of trade and related policy measures, based on Chapter 3 of the State of Commodity Markets (SOCO) 2016.

This policy brief provides an overview of the trends in agricultural trade, and the implications for food security, based on Chapter 1 of the State of Commodity Markets (SOCO) 2016.

This brief is in continuation of the "Trade Policy Briefs" (link: http://www.fao.org/economic/est/publications/trade-policy-briefs/en/ ) of which the last issue was No.16.