CCP:GR-RI/04/1


COMMITTEE ON COMMODITY PROBLEMS

JOINT MEETING OF THE
INTERGOVERNMENTAL GROUP ON GRAINS
(30TH SESSION) AND THE
INTERGOVERNMENTAL GROUP ON RICE
(41ST SESSION)

Rome, Italy, 10 – 11 February 2004

PROVISIONAL AGENDA, AGENDA NOTES AND TIMETABLE


I. ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS

A. Election of Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons

B. Adoption of Provisional Agenda and Timetable

II. MAJOR POLICY AND ECONOMIC ISSUES RELATING TO GRAINS, RICE, PULSES AND ROOTS AND TUBERS

A. Recent market developments and short-term outlook

B. Critical review of China’s cereal supply and demand and implications for world markets

C. Follow-up to the Guidelines for National and International Action on Rice

D. Cereals and other starch-based staples: Are consumption patterns changing?

III. DEVELOPMENTS REGARDING THE COMMON FUND FOR COMMODITIES

IV. OTHER MATTERS

A. Activities of other international organizations of interest to the Groups

B. Outcome of the 64th Session of the Committee on Commodity Problems (CCP) related to the role of the Intergovernmental Groups

C. Date and place of the next Session of the Groups

D. Adoption of the Report

 


AGENDA NOTES

1. The Thirtieth Session of the Intergovernmental Group on Grains and the Forty-first Session of the Intergovernmental Group on Rice will be held jointly in Rome, at FAO Headquarters from Tuesday 10 to Wednesday 11 February 2004. Discussions will commence on Tuesday 10 February at 14.30 and will continue through Wednesday 11 February. Provisions for the adoption of the report of the Joint Session have been made for late afternoon on Friday 13 February. Documents will be dispatched to governments in due course. Once available, they can be accessed from the following website: http://www.fao.org/UNFAO/Bodies/CCP/gr-ri/2004/.

2. Upon conclusion of deliberations of the joint IGG Session, delegates are invited to attend an FAO Conference on Rice which will take place at FAO Headquarters on 12-13 February 2004 in celebration of the International Year of Rice. Delegates may pre-register to the Conference and find additional information at the website of the International Year of Rice 2004: www.rice2004.org.

I. ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS

A. ELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON AND VICE-CHAIRPERSONS

3. The Group will elect a Chairperson and two Vice-Chairpersons who hold office until the subsequent session. The previous joint Session elected Mr M. S. Nouri-Naeeni (Islamic Republic of Iran) as Chairman, Mr H. Yamada (Japan) as First Vice-Chairman and Mr E. Ilunga (Democratic Republic of Congo) as Second Vice-Chairman.

B. ADOPTION OF PROVISIONAL AGENDA AND TIMETABLE

II. MAJOR POLICY AND ECONOMIC ISSUES RELATING TO GRAINS, RICE, PULSES AND ROOTS AND TUBERS

A. RECENT MARKET DEVELOPMENTS AND SHORT-TERM OUTLOOK

4. The Group will review the current market developments for grains, rice, roots and tubers and pulses. Delegates are invited to submit market information pertaining to their country. (CCP: GR-RI 04/CRS.1; CCP: GR-RI 04/CRS.2)

B. CRITICAL REVIEW OF CHINA’S CEREAL SUPPLY AND DEMAND AND IMPLICATIONS FOR WORLD MARKETS

5. The People’s Republic of China is a major player in the global grains and rice economies. Recent changes in the country’s policies have triggered a sizeable contraction in production of these commodities and FAO cereal balance sheets suggest a widening gap between domestic production and utilization, which has been bridged through a major release of stocks. A paper examining the issue and its implications for world cereal supplies will be circulated, for discussion by the Groups (CCP: GR-RI 04/2; CCP: CCP: GR-RI 04/CRS.3).

C. FOLLOW-UP TO THE GUIDELINES FOR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ACTION ON RICE

6. Since the adoption of the “Guidelines for National and International Action on Rice” in 1971, most recently amended in 1996, the Intergovernmental Group on Rice has maintained, as a standing agenda item, the review of policy measures taken and of progress made towards achieving the objectives of the Guidelines.

7. A paper summarizing major policy actions since the last review in 2001 will be presented at this joint Session (CCP: GR-RI 04/3; CCP: GR-RI 04/3-Supp.1; CCP: GR-RI 04/CRS.4). Governments are invited to supplement or update the information contained in the documents.

D. CEREALS AND OTHER STARCH-BASED STAPLES: ARE CONSUMPTION PATTERNS CHANGING?

8. Consumption of food products evolve over time in line with changes in tastes and in socio-economic variables, such as urbanization, prices and income. The Secretariat will present the results of an analysis to disentangle the effects of the different factors at play and to identify the principal forces influencing demand for rice, grains products, roots and tubers and other starchy foods (CCP: GR-RI 04/4; CCP: GR-RI 04/4-Supp.1; CCP: GR-RI 04/CRS.5).

III. DEVELOPMENTS REGARDING THE COMMON FUND FOR COMMODITIES (CFC)

9. A report on the status of CFC projects and project proposals for commodities falling within the area of competence of the IGG on Grains (grains, roots and tubers and pulses) and the IGG on Rice will be submitted to the Groups for their information and comment (CCP: GR-RI 04/5).

IV. OTHER MATTERS

A. ACTIVITIES OF OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OF INTEREST TO THE JOINT SESSION

10. Representatives of other international organizations will be invited to inform the Joint Session about their recent and planned activities.

B. OUTCOME OF THE 64TH SESSION OF THE CCP RELATED TO THE ROLE OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL GROUPS

11. The Secretariat will brief participants on the recommendations made by the CCP at its 64th Session with respect to the role and functioning of intergovernmental commodity groups and discuss their implications for the IGG on Grains and the IGG on Rice.

C. DATE AND PLACE OF THE NEXT SESSION OF THE GROUPS

D. ADOPTION OF THE REPORT

 


PROPOSED TIMETABLE

Tuesday, 10 February 2004

14.00-14:30 Registration

14.30-15.00 Opening session

15:00-17:30 Working Session (Items II A-B)

 

Wednesday, 11 February 2004

09:30-12:30 Working Session (Items II C-D)

14:30-17:30 Working Session (Items III and IV A-D)