Global food prices continued rising for the second consecutive month in July, led by vegetable oils and dairy products, the Food and Agriculture Organisation has said.
According to the Food Price Index report published on Thursday on the FAO webpage, which tracks international prices of the most commonly traded food commodities, price index averaged 94.2 points in July, a 1.2 per cent increase from June and nearly 1.0 per cent higher than July 2019.
In the report, the FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index increased 7.6 per cent since June to reach a five month high with international quotations for the key oils rising amid, in the case of palm oil, likely production slowdowns, revived global import demand and protracted migrant labour shortages.
It said the FAO Dairy Price Index rose 3.5 per cent in the month with all products from butter and cheese to milk powders rising.
The report said the FAO Cereal Price Index was practically unchanged from June, although maize and sorghum prices registered a sharp increase, influenced by large purchases by China from the United States of America; while those of rice fell, reflecting prospects of large 2020 harvests.
“Wheat prices changed little amid slow trade activity” it said.
The FAO Sugar Price Index rose 1.4 per cent as strong sugar crush numbers from Brazil only partly mitigated the effects of rising energy prices and the prospects of lower sugar production in Thailand due to a severe drought.
The FAO Meat Price Index in contrast declined by 1.8 per cent in July and averaged 9.2 per cent below its level of July 2019.
“Pig and bovine meat quotations both fell in the month as global import demand volumes remained below export availabilities, despite the coronavirus induced disruptions to the industry in key exporting regions.
“Poultry meat prices increased influenced by production cuts in Brazil triggered by high feed costs and concerns over future demand,” the report said.
“The price coverage of the FAO Food Price Index was expanded and rebased in July 2020,” the report stated.
SOURCE: PREMIUM TIMES
