In 2017, countries in the region imported $265 million worth of rice, of which 45% was purchased by companies in Costa Rica and Honduras.
Figures from the Information System on the Rice Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with graph"]
World food prices fell slightly in November, as the decline in prices of dairy products offset a sharp increase in the prices of sugar and vegetable oils.
From a statement by the World Food Organization (FAO):
7 December 2017, Rome - Global food prices declined marginally in November, as lower dairy prices offset a sharp increase in sugar and vegetable oil quotations, according to the latest FAO Food Price Index issued today.
In September, the FAO food price index went up 4.3% year-on-year due to an increase in prices of vegetable oils and dairy products.
» The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 178.4 points in September 2017, up 1.4 points (0.8 percent) from August and 7.4 points (4.3 percent) above September 2016. Firmer prices in the vegetable oil and dairy sectors were behind the small month-on-month rise in the value of the FFPI.
In 2016 exports of fresh and chilled vegetables from countries in the region amounted to $143 million, and sales to the US grew by 9% compared to 2015.
Figures from the information system on the Fresh or Chilled Vegetables Market in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption = "Click to interact with the graph"]
In June, the FAO food price index showed a year-on-year increase of 7%, mainly due to significant increases in the prices of dairy and cereals.
From a statement issued by the World Food Organization:
» The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 175.2 points in June 2017, up 2.5 points (1.4 percent) from May and 11 points (7 percent) above its level a year earlier.
As in March, the values of all products in the FAO food index fell in April, with the exception of meat prices.
From a statement issued by the World Food Organization:
» The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 168.0 points in April 2017, down 3.1 points (1.8 percent) from March, but still 15.2 points (10 percent) higher than in April 2016.
The FAO food price index grew by 2.1% compared to December due to a sharp rise in international prices of sugar, cereals and vegetable oils.
From a statement issued by the World Food Organization:
» The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 173.8 points in January 2017, up 3.7 points (2.1 percent) from the revised December value. At this level, the FFPI is at its highest value since February 2015 and as much as 24.5 points (16.4 percent) above its level in the corresponding period last year. The strong rebound in the January value of the FFPI was driven by a surge in international sugar quotations and sharp increases in export prices of cereals as well as vegetable oils. Meat and dairy markets remained more stable.
The FAO food price index remained unchanged in comparison to November, with substantial increases in the prices of vegetable oils and dairy products which more than offset a fall in sugar and meat.
From a statement issued by the World Food Organization:
The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged almost 172 points in December 2016, unchanged from November with strong gains in the prices of vegetable oils and dairy largely offsetting a fall in sugar and meat quotations. For 2016 as a whole, the index averaged 161.6 points, down 1.5 percent from 2015, representing the fifth consecutive annual decline. While prices of sugar and vegetable oils rose significantly in 2016, falling prices in cereal, meat and dairy markets kept the Index below its 2015 average.
The decline in the FAO food price index in November was due to a sharp fall in sugar prices, which more than offset a sharp spike in prices of vegetable oils.
From a statement issued by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization:
The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 171.3 points in November 2016, only 0.4 percent below its October level, but still 10.4 percent higher than in November 2015. The month-to-month small decline marked a departure from an almost uninterrupted rising trend in the Index since the start of the year. November’s easing was driven by a sharp dip in sugar prices, which more than offset a strong rebound in the prices of vegetable oils.
Increases in the prices of sugar and dairy products account for the 0.7% increase compared to the previous month and 9% in the food price index.
From a statement issued by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization:
» The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 172.6 points in October 2016, up 1.2 points (0.7 percent) from September and 9.1 percent above the corresponding month last year. Except for a short-lived drop in July, the Index has risen continuously since the start of the year. In October, sugar and dairy values rose sharply, while the cereal index made a modest increase. These gains coincided with sharp declines in the oils and meat indices, which kept the overall value of the FFPI only slightly above its September average.
The FAO Food Price Index continues to show a slow upward trend for the third consecutive month.
From a statement issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization:
The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) averaged 151.8 points in April 2016, up 1.1 points (0.7 percent) from March, but almost 10 percent below its April 2015 level. A relatively strong rise in vegetable oil quotations coupled with a more modest gain in international prices of cereals more than offset a decline in dairy and sugar prices. The small increase in April represented a third month of gradual rise in the value of the FFPI.
The FAO food price index rose slightly in March due to sharp increases in prices of sugar and palm oil.
From a press release by the Food and Agriculture Organization:
The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 151.0 points in March 2016, up 1.0 percent from February, but almost 21 points (12.0 percent) below its March 2015 level. The main feature last month was the strong rebound in sugar prices, which, combined with a further increase in vegetable oil quotations, more than offset a plunge in dairy values. International prices of the other commodities used in the calculation of the FFPI changed little.
The FAO Food Price Index averaged 150.2 points in February 2016, nearly unchanged from January, but 14.5% below February 2015.
From a statement issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization:
The FAO Food Price Index* (FFPI) averaged 150.2 points in February 2016, nearly unchanged from January, but 25.6 points (14.5 percent) below February 2015. The most outstanding development last month was a surge in vegetable oil quotations, which, along with a small recovery in meat prices, more than offset declining cereal, sugar and dairy prices.
Prices of main staple foods fell in November, reversing about half the increase recorded in October, with widespread declines, with the exception of sugar.
From the release by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations:
3 December, Rome--Major food commodity prices fell in November, reversing about half their rise in the previous month, as the cost of internationally-traded staples, except for sugar, fell across the board.