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Summary: Global Food Price Inflation and Food Security Responses - Food Price Inflation Trends (Sept-Dec 2024):
Domestic food price inflation remains elevated in many low- and middle-income countries.
Inflation exceeding 5% affects:72.2% of low-income countries (+3.4 percentage points since Dec. 2024).
43.5% of lower-middle-income countries (-3.2 points).
38% of upper-middle-income countries (+5 points).
7.4% of high-income countries (+3.5 points).
Food price inflation surpasses overall inflation in 43.5% of the 161 countries tracked.
Agricultural Price Indices and Commodity Trends:
Agricultural, cereal, and export price indices rose by 3-4% since Dec. 2024.
Commodity year-on-year price changes:Maize: +2% (9% higher since last update).
Wheat: -10% (2% lower since last update).
Rice: -16% (unchanged since last update).
Compared to Jan. 2020, maize prices are +24%, wheat -3%, and rice +26%.
Global Food Security Challenges:
Over 280 million people face acute hunger daily.
Trade restrictions due to crises like the Russia-Ukraine war have worsened the global food crisis.17 countries imposed 22 food export bans, while 8 countries implemented 12 export-limiting measures as of Jan. 2025.
World Bank's Food Security Initiatives:
The World Bank’s food and nutrition security efforts span 90 countries, benefiting 296 million people through short-term interventions and long-term resilience strategies. Key programs include:
Honduras: Projects supporting small-scale producers and food security in rural areas (e.g., COMRURAL II & III).
Africa: Programs addressing food resilience, irrigation, and climate-smart agriculture (e.g., Sahel Irrigation Initiative, AICCRA).
Emergency Responses: Providing seeds, cash transfers, and nutrition plans in Central African Republic, Yemen, Guinea-Bissau, and more.
Global Alliances: Partnering with the G7 and other organizations to improve global food security coordination via the Global Food and Nutrition Security Dashboard.
FAO and UNOCHA Reports:
The FAO emphasizes the impact of global food trade on diets and nutrition, highlighting risks of resource depletion and unhealthy dietary shifts due to globalization.
UNOCHA's Global Humanitarian Overview 2025 links food insecurity with broader crises and calls for global action to combat hunger.
Call to Action:
Key global organizations (FAO, IMF, World Bank, WTO) urge coordinated efforts to:
Address hunger hotspots.
Facilitate trade and improve market efficiency.
Reform harmful subsidies while building long-term resilience.
Conclusion:
The persistent rise in food prices and trade restrictions highlights the urgency for global collaboration to tackle food insecurity. Efforts must balance immediate relief with sustainable agricultural and food systems development to mitigate future crises.
AGRI NEWS NET- WEEKEND NEWS RUSH Summary of the Week News 26th January 2025
Summary: January 2025 Food Price Outlook
The January 2025 Food Price Outlook reveals that while overall food price inflation has slowed, certain categories, such as eggs and beef, remain volatile due to supply chain disruptions and input cost pressures.
Key Highlights:
Overall Food Inflation Trends
Year-over-Year (December 2024): Food prices rose by 2.5%.Food-at-home: +1.8%.
Food-away-from-home: +3.6%.
2025 Projections:Food prices expected to grow by 2.2% overall.
Food-at-home: +1.3%.
Food-away-from-home: +3.6%.
Category Insights
Egg Prices:December 2024 saw a year-over-year increase of 36.8%.
Prices expected to rise by 20.3% in 2025 due to ongoing avian influenza outbreaks.
Farm-level egg prices projected to jump 45.2% in 2025.
Beef & Veal: +1.5% increase projected for 2025.
Pork & Fats/Oils: Declines of 0.8% and 1.6%, respectively, anticipated in 2025.
Fresh Fruits & Dairy: Expected increases of 0.7% and 1.3%, respectively.
Egg Market Volatility
Causes of Rising Prices:Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues to devastate commercial laying flocks, with 134.7 million birds culled since 2022.
HPAI spread is driven by migratory birds, environmental factors (temperatures below 90°F), and biosecurity challenges.
Recovery Challenges:Rebuilding flocks takes over 20 weeks, with phased restocking necessary to balance supply.
Younger hens initially lay smaller eggs, adding complexity to supply recovery.
Regional Updates
Georgia reported its first case of avian flu, leading to quarantines and suspended poultry sales.
Consumer Demand & Outlook
High egg prices may curb demand while encouraging producers to expand flocks.
A natural price decline could occur if disease outbreaks decrease as temperatures rise.
Despite the slowing pace of food price inflation overall, categories like eggs remain subject to significant price volatility due to disease outbreaks, supply chain issues, and consumer demand dynamics.
Summary: Top Global Weather Stories of 2024
2024: The Warmest Year on Record
2024 officially became the warmest year globally, surpassing 2023.
First year with global average temperatures exceeding the 1.5°C threshold set by the Paris Agreement.
Temperatures ranged between 1.46°C and 1.62°C above pre-industrial levels.
July 2024 marked the hottest month in at least 175 years.
Global Climate Highlights
Temperature Extremes:
24% of Earth's surface recorded record-breaking annual temperatures.
104 countries, including Canada, set new national temperature records.
22 nations broke all-time heat records; no national cold records were set.
Oceans:
Record-high global ocean temperatures triggered the fourth global coral bleaching event.
40% of the southern Great Barrier Reef died.
Carbon Dioxide Levels:
CO₂ levels reached 424 ppm, up from 378 ppm in 2004.
Rainfall and Flooding:
2024 was the wettest year on record, surpassing 2016.
Atmospheric moisture averaged over 25 mm for the first time in 85 years.
Significant flooding occurred globally, including in Brazil, Africa, and the Middle East.
Global Ice Coverage
Arctic:
Sixth-lowest sea ice minimum recorded.
Record precipitation and summer heat led to the second-highest summer greenness in 25 years.
Northwest Passage reported record-low ice levels.
Antarctica:
South America (Brazil):
Southern Brazil experienced record flooding in May, with nearly half a year’s rainfall in one week.
Severe drought affected 60% of the country, causing record wildfires.
The Paraguay River fell to its lowest level in 120 years.
Middle East (UAE):
April saw nearly a year’s worth of rainfall in one day, causing widespread flooding and flight cancellations.
Africa:
Namibia declared a state of emergency due to the worst drought in a century.
The Sahara Desert experienced rare flooding rains, transforming parts of the desert into green landscapes.
2025 Outlook
Forecasters predict a less than 5% chance of 2025 breaking the 2024 heat record.
Expected to be the third-hottest year on record due to a weak La Niña phase.
Despite hopes for moderation, 2024 underscored the severe impacts of climate change, with extreme heat, flooding, and droughts reshaping weather patterns worldwide.
CommoditiesJanuary 26
Commodity Prices
