International wheat prices remained below their levels of May last year, while those of maize continued to rise and exceeded their year‑earlier levels, supported by strong import demand and concerns about crop conditions in South America. Rice prices rebounded in May. In Asia, shortfalls in 2015 secondary crop outputs, due to adverse weather, continued to put upward pressure on domestic prices of rice in exporting countries, particularly in Thailand, where prices...

Global cereal production prospects continue to improve although latest forecasts indicate that world cereal output in 2016 would still fall slightly short of the projected demand in 2016/17. COUNTRIES IN NEED OF EXTERNAL ASSISTANCE: FAO estimates that 37 countries, including 28 in Africa, are in need of external assistance for food. Persisting conflicts, acutely undermining agricultural capacities and drought‑induced production declines, frequently linked to the now dissipating El Niño, are...

Global food commodity markets are broadly stable, supported by adequate supplies. Prospects for continued stability remain favourable also for 2016/17. Despite larger volumes of imports, the world food import bill is set to decline by 9 percent to a 7-year low in 2016, on expectation of lower international prices and freights. The International Year of Pulses 2016 presents a unique opportunity to bring to the fore the challenges faced by the...

FAO fielded a Mission to the country between 14 February and 2 March 2016 to assess the state of food availability and the stability of markets at the national level. The Mission was composed of FAO, CNSA and the Sub-structure for Agricultural Statistics and Informatics (SSSAI), both agencies of the Ministry of Agriculture of Haiti, Natural Resources and Rural Development (MARNDR). The WFP and Famine Early Warning System also collaborated...

This report is based on information available as of May 2016.

International prices of wheat showed mixed trends in April, but remained lower than a year earlier mostly reflecting good prospects for 2016 production. By contrast, maize export quotations generally increased, supported by solid export demand and concerns about 2016 production prospects in South America. In Asia, rice prices increased in exporting countries in April amid expectations of reduced 2015 secondary crops, due to dry weather associated with the El Niño...

The 2015 aggregate food production is estimated at 5.42 million tonnes, 9 percent less than in 2014, due to poor rains and low availabilities of water for irrigation. This is the first reduction since 2010 and follows a stagnant output in 2014. Production of paddy rice, the country’s main staple, dropped by 26 percent and output of maize also decreased, but to a lesser extent. By contrast, the output of...