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.
In January the price index registered a fall of 1.9% compared to December, a result of lower prices in commodities such as sugar.
From a statement issued by the World Food Organization:
February 4, 2016, Rome - The index stood at 150.4 points in January, up 16% compared to the same month last year, recording its lowest level since April 2009.
The FAO price index is a weighted index based on trade observed in international markets of the top five basic food groups: grains, vegetable oils, dairy products, meat and sugar.
Central American exporters can take advantage of the high prices the fruit is currently trading at in the United States because supply of the fruit from Mexico has been reduced.
From a statement issued by PROCOMER:
The reduced supply of watermelons from Mexico has kept prices high for imported product going to the United States. Since Mexican supply is limited, Central American shippers have the opportunity to leverage a relatively empty market.
In October, the index of food prices recorded an increase of 4%, driven mainly by rising prices of sugar, vegetable oils and dairy products.
From the report by the Food World Organization:
The FAO Food Price Index* averaged nearly 162 points in October 2015, as much as 6 points (3.9 percent) more than in September and the sharpest increase since July 2012.
The prices of sugar and dairy products recovered in September, while other commodities remained slightly below the levels recorded in August.
From a statement issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization:
The FAO Food Price Index* averaged 156.3 points in September 2015, up one point from its sharply reduced August value, but still18.9 percent less than one year ago.
International prices of staple foods are the lowest since 2008 due to increased supply, declining energy prices, and concerns about the economic slowdown in China.
From the report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations:
10 September 2015, Rome -International food commodity prices continued to decline in August as ample supplies, a slump in energy prices and concerns over China's economic slowdown all contributed to the sharpest fall of the FAO Food Price Index in almost seven years.
Food inflation in June registered a variation of -0.4% in Nicaragua, -0.3% in El Salvador , 0.3% in Panama, 0.4% in Costa Rica, 0.9% in Guatemala and 0, 5% in Honduras.
"Nicaragua had the lowest rate of food inflation of the countries monitored in the subregion, with -0.4%, down 0.7 percentage points from May. The food inflation rate of El Salvador was -0.3%, down 0.5 percentage points from May.
In June prices of sugar and dairy products fell sharply, meat remained stable, while cereals and oils showed improvement.
The FAO Food Price Index* averaged 165.1 points in June 2015, down 1.5 points (0.9 percent) from the previous month and almost 44 points (21.0 percent) down from June 2014. Price movements diverged across the various markets, with sugar and milk products incurring pronounced falls, while cereals and oils prices firmed somewhat. Meat prices were stable. Except for a lull in October 2014, the overall food price index has declined every month since April 2014.
The government has extended until December prices controls on 22 basic food basket products and added six more to the list.
The products that make up the list are vegetable oil, french bread, fresh milk, medium apple, orange juice, sea bass, chicken soup with noodles, soda, oranges, sugar, ham unpackaged, evaporated milk, barjack fish, coffee, lettuce, tomato paste, plantains, bananas, fruit drinks, corn tortilla, mayonnaise, margarine, tomato, carrot, tea, garlic and salt.
Cereals, dairy products and meat were the items that registered the largest reductions in May, whereas oils and sugar markets remained firm.
From a report on the price index of basic foods by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO):
The FAO * index of food prices stood in May 2015 at an average of 166.8 points, ie, 2.4 points (1.4%) less than in April and a 43.6 points (20.7%) less than in the same month last year.
In April the general downward trend continued, with dairy products leading the list of the products which fell the most, followed by sugar, cereals and vegetable oils.
From the Price index of basic foods by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO):
The FAO's index of food prices stood in April 2015 at an average of 171 points, ie, 2.1 points (1.2%) less than in March and 40.5 points (19, 2%) below its level in April 2014.
A Costa Rican delegation is preparing to see the products offered by the Rep. Dominicana in the fifth Agri Fair 2015 to be held in May in Santo Domingo.
The Caribbean country will also be showing its products to Costa Rica in order to "... promote the interests of Costa Rican importers showcasing the range of products they can offer." Currently fruit production in the Dominican Republic has grown five times more than exports.
In March, the consumer price index recorded a rise of 0.68%, placing accumulated inflation in the first three months of the year at 0.93%.
From a report by the Central Bank of Honduras:
Monthly inflation, measured by the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 0.68% in March 2015; explained, in part, by the increase in prices of: electricity supply in housing; transport (due to the rise in fuel prices); and foodstuffs.
A bill intends to regulate the import of agricultural products through the creation of the Panamanian Food Safety Authority.
From a statement issued by the National Assembly of Panama:
In order to make headway for Panamanian producers and improve imports in different fields, the Agricultural Affairs Committee of the National Assembly is backing the draft Act amending articles of Decree Law 11 of 2006, which creates the Panamanian Food Safety Authority.