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Crop Prospects and Food Situation - No. 1, February 2008







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    Crop Prospects and Food Situation - No. 3 Oct. 2012 2012
    Latest indications confirm a decline in world cereal production in 2012 from the record in 2011. The decrease will result in a significant reduction in world inventories by the close of seasons in 2013, even with world demand sliding as a result of high prices. International cereal prices remained firm in September, with average wheat and rice quotations increasing slightly, but those of maize declining. Although the volume of aggregate cereal import requirements of LIFDCs in the 2012/13 marketing years are estimated to decline by 5 percent from the high level the previous year, the total import bill, on the other hand, is expected to rise due to higher international prices...
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    Food Outlook, June 2006 2006
    The recent months saw commodity markets as a whole becoming more volatile with a steady upward trend in prices. In agricultural markets, some important food and feed commodities gained on supply tightness and stronger demand while in the energy complex and metals, the tighter supply and demand balance resulted in a steep increase in prices. Amid political uncertainties and surging energy prices, agricultural markets over the past year have also had to confront abnormal incidences of natural disa sters, ranging from devastating hurricanes to fast spreading animal diseases. Based on current indications, several agricultural commodities are likely to experience still more unstable months ahead and, in most instances, the fundamentals point to even further gains in prices. This eventuality seems strongest for cereals, as world cereal demand is forecast to surpass its supply in the new season and push down stocks to an uncomfortably low level. For sugar, while a further surge in prices from the current high levels could be considered as less probable, the main risk remains the continuing price volatility. For the oilseed complex, as well as meat and dairy, fundamentals at this point in time do not support a tightening in the markets and the near-term price prospects are more on the downside instead. Against this background of mixed outlook but generally firm prices, FAO is forecasting an increase of over 2 percent in the world food import bill in 2006 compared to 2005. The increase is expected to be strongest for cereals and sugar but smallest for meat. Given their higher share as importers of food and feed, the developing countries’ bill is forecast to grow by 3.5 percent while that of the Low Income Food Deficit Countries is forecast to jump by nearly 7 percent.
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    Crop Prospects and Food Situation - No. 2 June 2012 2012
    The outlook for world cereal production in 2012 improved further in recent weeks largely on expectation of a much bigger maize crop in the United States. World cereal production is now forecast to increase by 3.2 percent to a new record. At 2 419 million tonnes, global cereal production would exceed the anticipated utilization in 2012/13 and lead to a significant replenishment of world stocks, which could keep international prices under downward pressure. Wheat and coarse grains prices ea sed in May, mostly during the second half, driven by good supply prospects. Rice prices were supported by a temporary surge in import demand and large Government purchases in Thailand, the number one exporter of the commodity. Aggregate cereal imports of the 66 LIFDCs for 2012/13 are forecast to decrease slightly, mainly due to the generally favourable prospects for the 2012 domestic harvests. countries. In North Africa, early forecasts point to a sharp decline in cereal production in Morocco as a result of erratic and insufficient rains, while in the remaining countries of the subregion above-average harvests are expected...

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