Global food prices rose for the 5th consecutive month in May, pushed up by rising prices of cheese and maize due to adverse weather conditions.
FAO’s latest forecast for world cereal production in 2019 points to an increase of 1.2 percent from 2018, to 2 685 million tonnes. However, the year-on-year expansion is now much less significant than earlier predicted, as global maize production is now seen to fall in 2019, largely because of sharp downward revisions since the previous report concerning maize production prospects in the United States. Due to prolonged excessive wet conditions resulting in major delays in crop plantings, this year’s maize production in the United States is now pegged at 330 million tonnes, down 45 million tonnes from FAO’s first production forecast published in May and almost 10 percent (36 million tonnes) short of last year’s level. The recent USDA crop progress report pointed to a sharply reduced planted area of only 58 percent of planting intentions as of 26 May, well below the 5-year average level of 90 percent and the slowest pace ever recorded.
Most of the expected rebound in global cereal production in 2019 is attributed to expected expansions in wheat and barley production, with year-on-year increases of 5.3 percent and 5.8 percent, respectively. Total rice production is likely to remain close to last year’s record level as expectations of area-driven expansions in Asia could offset foreseen contractions in most other regions, triggered by inclement weather and prospects of reduced profit margins.
World cereal utilization in 2019/20 is forecast to reach 2 707 million tonnes, down 15.5 million tonnes, or 0.6 percent, from the May forecast but still 1 percent (26 million tonnes) higher than in 2018/19. Most of this month’s downward adjustment again concerns the United States, where, because of deteriorating production prospects, total domestic utilization of maize is seen to fall below the 2018/19 level. Following the revision for the United States, world utilization of coarse grains in 2019/20 is now anticipated to reach 1 434 million tonnes, down 0.9 percent from the previous forecast but 0.7 percent higher than in 2018/19. Global wheat utilization is expected to grow by 1.2 percent, reaching 755 million tonnes, while that of rice is predicted to reach 518 million tonnes, 1.4 percent higher than in 2018/19.
Based on the latest production and utilization forecasts, world cereal stocks could decline by as much as 26 million tonnes, or 3 percent, in the new season to a four-year low of 830 million tonnes. This figure is around 18 million tonnes, or 2 percent, below the FAO’s May forecast. The sharp month-on-month downward revision is mostly associated with maize, whereas the forecasts for wheat and rice inventories have been raised slightly since the previous report. The projected fall in cereal stocks would result in a drop in the global cereal stock-to-use ratio to just below 30 percent, which still points to a relatively comfortable supply level. Globally, coarse grain inventories are seen heading towards a second consecutive annual decline in 2019/20, falling by 9 percent to just over 369 million tonnes, the lowest level since 2014/15. By contrast, total wheat stocks could expand by 4.6 percent year-on-year and approach a near-record level of 281 million tonnes. The increase of 1 percent in wheat stocks since May reflects upward adjustments made for the EU and the United States, outweighing downward revisions in Australia and the Russian Federation.
World trade in cereals in 2019/20 is forecast at around 414 million tonnes, up 1.2 million tonnes, or 0.3 percent, from the previous forecast and nearly 6 million tonnes, or 1.4 percent, higher than the estimated total shipments of cereals in 2018/19. Most of the predicted expansion in world cereal trade is associated with greater wheat and rice trade, while trade in coarse grains, most notably maize, is expected to fall below the 2018/19 level, mainly on expectations of reduced imports by the EU and a sharp reduction in exports by the United States. By contrast, wheat trade is predicted to rebound by 3.3 percent from the 2018/19 reduced level, driven by stronger import demand by several countries, especially in Africa and Asia, and supported by the expectation of large export availabilities in the Black Sea region and the EU. World rice trade, on the other hand, is likely to contract by 3.5 percent in 2019 before a possible rebound in 2020 on expectation of greater purchases by several countries in Africa.
Source: FAO
