Dear Subscriber,
We are pleased to send you the new issue of the FAO Rice Price Update:
Brief commentary:
ˇ The FAO All Rice Price Index (2002-2004=100) was unchanged at 240 in May 2013, as a firming of Japonica rice quotations compensated for slightly falling prices for Indica (both higher and lower qualities) and aromatic rice. In the case of aromatic rice, the decline of the sub-index in May was the first after ten monthly increases and only caused by faltering quotations of Thai fragrant rice as Basmati prices remained on the rise.
ˇ The relative weakness that has dominated rice prices in Thailand since March continues to prevail. Thai rice quotations moved lower in virtually all market segments. Prices also tended to soften in Viet Nam, while they strengthened in Pakistan and the United States. India prices were relatively stable.
ˇ According to the Index, in the first five months of the year, international rice prices were 2.3 percent higher than in the corresponding period in 2012.
For more information on prices, you may wish to consult the International Commodity Price Database http://www.fao.org/economic/est/statistical-data/est-cpd/en/, which gives access to weekly prices of major traded products, including the high quality Thai white rice 100% B and the 100 % broken rice Thai A1 Super, from 1989 onwards. Monthly international and domestic prices for rice and other selected commodities in 81 countries are available through the Food Price Data and Analysis Tool (http://www.fao.org/giews/pricetool/).
You might also be interested to visit the FAO World Food Situation portal, which provides monthly updates on the World Cereal Supply and Demand Situation and Outlook (http://www.fao.org/worldfoodsituation/wfs-home/en/).
Kind regards,
Concepción
Concepción Calpe
Senior Economist,
Secretary, Intergovernmental Group on Rice
Trade and Markets Division
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, Rome, Italy
D-803
Tel. 39-06-570 54136
Fax 39-06-570 54495
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