Markets and Trade

14/02/2023

Cotton is a key driver of economic growth, sustaining millions of farmers and families across 80 countries in five continents. It also represents an important source of foreign exchange for a number of low- and middle-income countries. World cotton trade began to trend upwards in the early 2000s with the implementation of the commitments undertaken at the Uruguay Round of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and is projected to expand steadily over the next decade.

10/02/2023

International prices of wheat fell again in January, as the short-term outlook for global supplies continued to improve, in particular following latest estimates of larger 2022 outputs in Australia and the Russian Federation than earlier expected. By contrast, international coarse grain prices firmed marginally, mostly reflecting the continued strong demand for maize supplies from Brazil.

05/02/2023

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the Russian–Ukrainian conflict, which began in February 2022, have tested the resilience of the food and agricultural trade network at a global level. The global dimension of these crises meets a policy landscape in which multilateral trade negotiations have largely stalled and regional approaches to trade integration are proliferating rapidly.

20/01/2023

The Tropical Fruits Market Review is issued on an annual basis to Members and Observers of the Sub-Group on Tropical Fruits of the Intergovernmental Group on Bananas and Tropical Fruits, which is a subsidiary body of the Committee on Commodity Problems (CCP). This document provides preliminary estimates for the 2022 market situation for the following major tropical fruits: Avocado, Mango, Papaya and Pineapple. Statistical tables related to imports and exports are also provided in the annex.

02/01/2023

Movements in agricultural commodity and food prices are indicators of changes in the fundamentals of supply and demand. As such, their levels are indicative of market imbalances that, for example, can portend to worsening food security. The timely monitoring of prices is also important for assessing the functioning and efficiency of international and national markets. Transparent and timely market information is a basis for evidence-based decision making and food security strategies.

14/12/2022

International prices of wheat and maize fell in November, both influenced by the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Greater export competition and low demand for supplies from the United States of America contributed to the fall in wheat prices, while in the same country, improved logistics and higher seasonal availability also helped ease maize prices.

14/12/2022

The Banana Market Review is issued on an annual basis to Members and Observers of the Sub-Group on Bananas of the Intergovernmental Group on Bananas and Tropical Fruits, which is a subsidiary body of the Committee on Commodity Problems (CCP). This document provides preliminary estimates for the 2021 market situation for the banana commodity. Imports and exports statistical tables are included.

08/12/2022

The December issue of the publication summarizes the salient trends and market outlook in 2022. International dairy prices eased in recent months due to subdued import demand. Moreover, global milk production is forecast to expand slightly, sustained by growth in Asia. Meanwhile, world dairy trade may contract for the first time in two decades.

08/12/2022

FAO’s Responsible Business Conduct Quarterly Bulletin (RBC-Q) shares events and resources on FAO’s activities on Responsible Global Value Chains and news from around the world related to business, risk and development in the agricultural sector. It is prepared by FAO’s Markets and Trade Division (EST). This issue of the bulletin covers the period October–December 2022.

07/12/2022

Between September 2022 and February 2023, about 4.7 million people are projected to experience high levels of acute food insecurity. Economic contraction, sociopolitical instability and worsening insecurity has gradually deteriorated the food security situation in the country. The cholera outbreak is likely to hit vulnerable populations who are already facing food insecurity, and humanitarian assistance is urgently needed to save lives.

02/12/2022

FAO assesses that globally 45 countries, including 33 in Africa, nine in Asia, two in Latin America and the Caribbean, and one in Europe, are in need of external assistance for food. Multi-year high inflation rates continue to aggravate food insecurity conditions, particularly in low‑income food-deficit countries. Conflicts and extreme weather events remain the key drivers of severe acute food insecurity across the globe, with particular concerns for countries in East and West Africa.

02/12/2022

The cereal supply and demand balances included in this report present a subset of data from the FAO/GIEWS Country Cereal Balance System (CCBS). The CCBS is a is a unique database created and continuously kept up to date by the Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture (GIEWS) and Basic Foodstuffs teams of the Markets and Trade Division, with data since 1980. It contains annual supply and utilization balances for the main cereals produced and consumed for over 220 countries/areas, from which (sub) regional and global aggregates are drawn. This report is based on information available as of November 2022.

01/12/2022

The FAO led project “Building responsible global value chains for the sustainable production and trade of tropical fruits” (GCP/GLO/022/GER) works with businesses, farmer organizations and other actors in the avocado and pineapple value chains. Our goal is to improve business performance by helping these two value chains be more sustainable and more resilient. The Action Report series provide periodic updates of the project’s activities. This report was published in November 2022

28/11/2022

Countries’ varying natural resource endowments are vital in explaining international trade. Traditional trade theory suggests that differences in technology and factor endowments lead countries to specialize and export certain goods or services in which they have a comparative advantage.

25/11/2022

The November issue of the publication summarizes the salient trends and market outlook in 2022. The international meat prices reached an all-time high in June 2022 amid tight global supplies. Moreover, global meat production in 2022 is expected to expand only moderately, constrained by animal diseases, rising input costs and extreme weather events. Meanwhile, world meat trade is likely to fall, weighed by a contraction in pig meat imports and economic slowdowns and downturns.