São Paulo – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced this Thursday (3rd) that the index which measures international food prices declined in June for the third consecutive month. The performance was influenced mainly by the decline of wheat, maize and palm oil prices. According to the FAO, the offer for such products is large and production perspectives are good.
The last estimate of global cereal production this year is 2.498 billion tonnes, according to FAO, 18 million tonnes higher than in the previous projection, made in June. The total forecast, however, is 23 million tonnes below what was effectively harvested last year.
The FAO stresses that, in spite of the offer and lower average prices, conflict- and drought-stricken countries need external assistance to ensure feeding the population.
The actual Food Price Index stood at 206 points last month, down 3.8 points from May and almost 6 points below June 2013. The index is calculated based on a set of products internationally commercialized.
According to the UN agency, the index had reached the highest level in ten months in March, but fell in the following three months as a result of price reduction of cereals, vegetable oils and dairy products. Sugar price has also fallen, but it is still higher than the price seen last year, meat has, in average, become more expensive in June from May.
*Translated by Rodrigo Mendonça
