….driven by vegetable oils, cereal, meat prices
The global Food Price Index continued its downward trajectory in December, driven by a steep drop in the international prices of vegetable oils and some declines in cereal and meat prices.
This is according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in its Food Price Index report for December 2022.
The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI), which measures the monthly change in international prices of a basket of food commodities, averaged 132.4 points in December 2022, down 2.6 points (1.9 percent) from November, marking its ninth consecutive monthly decline and standing 1.3 points (1.0 percent) below its value a year ago.
“The decline in the index in December was driven by a steep drop in the international prices of vegetable oils, together with some declines in cereal and meat prices, but partially counterbalanced by moderate increases in those of sugar and dairy,” FAO said.
“For 2022 as a whole, however, the FFPI averaged 143.7 points, up from 2021 by as much as 18 points, or 14.3%,” it said.
Prices of grains also dropped, averaging 147.3 points in December, down 2.9 points (1.9 percent) from November, but still 6.8 points (4.8 percent) above its December 2021 value.
According to the FAO, world maize prices also eased month-on-month, mostly driven by strong competition from Brazil, although concerns over dryness in Argentina provided some support.
“World prices of maize and wheat reached new record highs in 2022, averaging, respectively, 24.8 and 15.6% higher than their 2021 averages, while rice export prices were on average 2.9% above their 2021 levels,” FAO said in the report.
“The increase in the FAO Cereal Price Index in 2022 was due to a host of factors, including significant market disruptions, increased uncertainties, higher energy and input costs, adverse weather in a few key suppliers, and continued strong global food demand,” it said.
The meat index also dropped, averaging 113.8 points in December, down 1.4 points (1.2 percent) from November, marking the sixth consecutive monthly decline, but remained 2.8 points (2.5 percent) above its level a year earlier.
“The decrease in the index in December was driven by lower world prices of bovine and poultry meats, partially counterbalanced by higher pig and ovine meat prices,” it said.
The report said international prices of bovine meat fell, pressured by a higher supply of slaughter cattle in several large producing countries and lacklustre global demand for medium-term supplies.
“Meanwhile, poultry meat prices declined, as export availabilities were more than adequate to meet import demand for spot supplies, despite production setbacks due to intensified avian influenza outbreaks,” it said.
FAO noted that in 2022 as a whole, the FAO Meat Price Index averaged 118.9 points, up 11.2 points (10.4 percent) from 2021, marking the highest annual average registered since 1990.
