FAO keeps a constant watch on world markets of main agricultural commodities, including basic foodstuffs, tropical products and raw materials. These monitoring activities serve as a basis for forward-looking analyses that assess global supply and demand prospects for these commodities in the short-term and medium-term, as well as the impact of policy developments and other influential factors on commodity markets. Although global in focus, the team’s market appraisals build on in-depth commodity supply and demand assessments at the national level.