Key Messages
In West Africa, staple food markets were well-supplied in August, with carryover stocks and early grain, tuber, and legume harvests. Staple food prices were stable or declining, except in deficit areas of Niger, Chad, and Mauritania and conflict-affected areas of northeastern Nigeria. The Ebola outbreak has led to both official and voluntary restrictions on the movement of goods and people in affected countries, resulting in atypical market trends in some areas.
In East Africa, maize prices continued to decline in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Somalia as supplies from harvests improved market availability. Sorghum prices continued to increase in eastern Ethiopia, Sudan, and conflict-affected areas of eastern and northern South Sudan with progression of the lean season. Civil conflict, insecurity and seasonal road condition deterioration continued to disrupt marketing in northern and eastern South Sudan, Somalia, Darfur and South Kordofan States in Sudan. Livestock prices remained stable at lower levels across most markets.
In Southern Africa, regional staple food availability is higher than in previous years. Harvests from the 2013/14 production year were well-above average in the region’s surplus-producing countries. Staple food prices remained stable or began increasing as stocks began to dwindle during the post-harvest period. Maize prices were generally below their respective 2013 levels.
In Haiti, staple food prices were stable due to adequate food availability from ongoing harvests and imports. In Central America, red bean prices increased atypically from December through August in El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras due to a below-average 2013 Primera harvest in some countries and increased regional demand. Local and imported rice prices remained stable throughout the region.
In Central Asia, wheat grain and flour availability remained good region-wide in August. Prices were stable, but above their respective five-year average levels.
International rice, maize, wheat, and soybean prices were stable August. Global production for most key commodities reached record or near record levels this year, making for very well supplied global markets. Crude oil prices were stable.
