No. 29 The treatment of agriculture in Regional Trade Agreements
05/12/2017
A discussion on the growing importance of Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) and the trends in the treatment of agriculture in RTAs.
GIEWS Special Alert No. 341 - Somalia, 14 November 2017
14/11/2017
Severe dryness during the whole month of October in the main cereal-producing areas negatively impacted the establishment and development of “deyr” crops, expected to be harvested in January 2018. The dismal performance of the rainy season has exacerbated water and pasture shortages in pastoral areas, already affected by three consecutive poor rainy seasons. With an already dire food security situation, a continued and effective provision of livelihood support and food assistance is needed to prevent famine outcomes.
FAO Rice Market Monitor - October 2017
10/11/2017
The October 2017 issue of the FAO Rice Market Monitor (RMM) provides analysis and forecasts of world rice production, utilization, and global rice inventories in 2017/18 season. It also covers the outlook of world trade in rice in calendar year 2017 and 2018, as well as a review of international rice prices during the past quarter.
Food Price Monitoring and Analysis (FPMA) Bulletin #10, 10 November 2017
10/11/2017
The benchmark US wheat price declined in October mostly because of higher supply prospects while maize quotations firmed due to rain-induced harvest delays. International rice prices strengthened in October, mainly reflecting seasonally tight Japonica and fragrant supplies. In East and West Africa, cereal prices declined in October with the 2017 ongoing or recently-started harvests. However, concerns over crop outputs and civil insecurity kept prices at high levels in some countries, particularly in Ethiopia, Nigeria and South Sudan. In Central America, heavy rains in October led to unseasonal increases in maize and bean prices. They remained, however, at levels well below those a year earlier as a result of adequate domestic supplies, following the overall good outputs in 2016 and the 2017 first season harvests.
FAO Rice Market Monitor - December 2017
10/11/2017
The October 2017 issue of the FAO Rice Market Monitor (RMM) provides analysis and forecasts of world rice production, utilization, and global rice inventories in 2017/18 season. It also covers the outlook of world trade in rice in calendar year 2017 and 2018, as well as a review of international rice prices during the past quarter.
No. 28 Trade in Fish and Fishery Products
07/11/2017
This brief discusses trade in fish and fishery products, in particular, trends in import and export, subsidies, tariff and non-tariff measures.
No. 27 Export restrictions in agriculture trade
10/10/2017
This brief explains and explores the rationale and options for strengthening disciplines on export restrictions.
Food Price Monitoring and Analysis (FPMA) Bulletin #9, 10 October 2017
10/10/2017
International prices of wheat increased in September mostly because of weather-related concerns, while maize quotations fell further on crop harvest pressure. International rice prices remained generally firm, supported by seasonally tight availabilities of fragrant rice and strong demand for higher quality Indica supplies. In East Africa, prices of cereals remained at levels above those of a year earlier in most countries, particularly in Ethiopia reflecting seasonal tightness amid concerns over the impact of the Fall Armyworm infestation on the main harvest and in South Sudan mainly due to the ongoing conflict. In Asia, prices of rice in Bangladesh increased again in September and reached record highs, with seasonal patterns exacerbated by the reduced 2017 main season output and concerns over the impact of the July-August floods on the second season crop, to be harvested from November.
GIEWS Update - Bangladesh, 3 October 2017
03/10/2017
Severe floods in 2017 have affected at least 8 million people, causing deaths and injuries, loss of livestock and food supplies, and damage to housing and infrastructure. The floods caused severe damage to the agriculture sector, including crop losses of the main food staple rice, with most of the damage concentrated in the northern districts. Prices of rice, the country’s main staple, reached record levels in September, mostly reflecting flood-induced crop losses in 2017.
GIEWS Update - Ethiopia, 28 September 2017
28/09/2017
Prevailing severe dry weather conditions since October 2016 affected rangelands and crops in southeastern Ethiopia, resulting in serious deterioration of food security conditions. A major area of concern is the Somali Region, where an estimated 2.3 million people require emergency livelihood and food assistance. The critical food security situation reflects a sharply-reduced availability of food, pasture and water, particularly in southern and southeastern pastoral districts.
Crop Prospects and Food Situation - Quarterly Global Report, No. 3, September 2017
21/09/2017
FAO estimates that 37 countries are in need of external assistance for food in the world. Persisting conflicts have continued to acutely affect agricultural production and food security conditions. Weather shocks, including floods, hurricanes and droughts, have compounded the fragile conditions in some of the conflict-affected countries and also resulted in production shortfalls, adversely impacting food availability and access in other countries.
Trade and Food Standards
13/09/2017
This publication explains how international food safety standards are set through the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) Food Standards Programme – the Codex Alimentarius Commission – and how these standards are applied in the context of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreements on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) and on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement).Through the FAO/WHO C odex Alimentarius, members establish science-based, internationally agreed food standards. The publication describes the two organizations, how they operate together, and how countries can and should engage to keep international food standards up to date and relevant, and to resolve trade issues. The publication also highlights the need to invest in domestic capacities to be prepared now and in the future to keep food safe and to ensure that trade flows smoothly. The publication also illustrates some of the drivers of change in the area of food regulation, underlining the need for governments to be constantly attentive and ready to pick up on challenges and new opportunities, be they related to human health, consumer preferences or evolutions in technology. Members will need strong institutions and national capacity to respond to these challenges, both domestically and in the dynamic international system of food standards and trade rules that they have created. They will need to be flexible and forward looking, to enjoy the benefits and manage the risks the future holds, mindful that food is a commodity like no other.
Review of agricultural trade policies in post-Soviet countries 2015-16
13/09/2017
The document is based on the publication “Review of Agricultural Trade Policies in former Soviet Union countries 2015-16” available in Russian. The main economic and political factors influencing the patterns of agrifood trade in the region during 2014 generally continued to have an impact in 2015 and 2016. In particular, a further slowdown in economic growth was observed in all countries during 2015. In addition, the depreciation of all the national currencies against the US dollar and the euro, which began in 2014, continued in 2015 and, in some cases, in 2016. Due to weaker national currencies and falling consumer demand, the total value of imports of agrifood products in dollar terms decreased in many countries. The decline in demand for agrifood products in the region and lower international prices also contributed to the reduction in the value of agrifood exports from the region. At the same time, the last two years have been marked by stronger integration processes affecting agrifood trade among several countries in the region.
Food Outlook - November 2017
13/09/2017
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.
Food Outlook - June 2017
13/09/2017
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.
Strengthening sector policies for better food security and nutrition results: Trade
13/09/2017
Trade in agricultural products has expanded almost threefold in value terms over the past decade and is expected to continue to increase over the coming years. As such, it will play an increasingly important role in influencing the extent and nature of food security. While agricultural trade can have important benefits for food security and nutrition, the challenge is to ensure that its expansion works for, and not against, the elimination of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. Policy mak ers formulating trade policies must prioritize long-term structural transformation objectives over short-term political or commercial interests. This guidance note aims to support policy makers and agriculture stakeholders in promoting greater coherence between trade and agricultural policies and identifying the policy space within trade agreements for developing countries to address food security concerns. It also discusses the appropriateness of different trade policy measures in improving foo d security.
Commodities and Development Report 2017: Commodity Markets, Economic Growth and Development (OVERVIEW)
13/09/2017
Short overview of the "Commodities and Development Report 2017: Commodity Markets, Economic Growth and Development" that analyses the effects of commodity dependence on human development.
Food Price Monitoring and Analysis (FPMA) Bulletin #8, 12 September 2017
12/09/2017
International prices of wheat dipped in August, after increasing in the past few months, following an upturn in production prospects in the Black Sea region which improved the 2017 global supply outlook. Maize quotations also fell on improved weather conditions and abundant global supplies. International prices of rice were relatively stable, although price movements were mixed across the different rice market segments. In East Africa, prices of cereals generally continued to decline with the new harvests. The main exception was Ethiopia, where prices increased further at a fast pace, underpinned by the poor performance of the secondary season harvest and concerns over the main season crop, soon to be gathered. In Asia, domestic prices of rice decreased or remained relatively stable in August, amid generally favourable prospects for the 2017 paddy crops, about to be harvested, and a slowdown in demand. In Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, despite recent decreases, prices remained higher than a year earlier, mainly due to weather-related losses of main season crops, gathered earlier in the year.