Dear Subscriber,
We are pleased to send you the new issue of the FAO Rice Price Update:
Brief commentary of the month:
ˇ In February 2015, the FAO All Rice Price Index (2002-2004=100) averaged 220 points, down from 222 points in January. The decline was small, of less than 1 percent, but represented the sixth month of continuous fall. The slides were steepest for the Higher Quality Indica, down 2.3 percent, followed by the Lower Quality Indica, down 1.7 percent and Japonica, down 1.3 percent. Fragrant rice prices continued to move against the general direction, gaining almost 4 percent compared to January.
ˇ The market weakness was particularly evident in Viet Nam, coinciding with the beginning of the Winter/Spring harvests, and in Pakistan, on slowing import demand. Prices also softened in the United States, influenced to some extent by the drops of maize and wheat quotations. Prices were rather stable in Thailand, as prospects of a much smaller 2014/15 secondary paddy crop tended to counterweigh the effects of large public stock sales. Prices even showed a tendency to firm in India, reflecting a revival of demand in Africa and a stronger Rupee.
ˇ Prices in the first two months of 2015 averaged almost 5 percent less than in their corresponding period in 2014. The declines were most pronounced for the aromatic varieties (-26.8 percent), the Higher Quality Indica (-9.6 percent) and the Lower Quality Indica (-5.1 percent). Japonica prices averaged higher (+10.4 percent), a reflection of the tightness that continues to characterize the segment, with availabilities again expected to be limited in Australia, the Unites States (California) and Egypt.
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 92 countries are available through the Food Price Data and Analysis Tool (http://www.fao.org/giews/pricetool/).
You might also be interested to visit:
ˇ Quarterly Rice Market Monitor: http://www.fao.org/economic/est/publications/rice-publications/rice-market-monitor-rmm/en/
ˇ 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/en/).
ˇ Monthly News Report on Grains: http://www.fao.org/economic/est/publications/grains-publications/monthly-news-report-on-grains-mnr/en/
ˇ Oilcrops Monthly Price and Policy Update (10 issues per year): http://www.fao.org/economic/est/publications/oilcrops-publications/oilcrops-monthly-price-and-policy-update/en/
ˇ Meat and Meat Products – Price and trade update (5 issues per year): http://www.fao.org/economic/est/est-commodities/meat/meat-and-meat-products-update/en/
ˇ Milk and Milk products – Price and trade update (5 issues per year): http://www.fao.org/economic/est/est-commodities/dairy/milk-and-milk-products/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
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
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