What's New

In economics and development work, experiments are becoming a widely used and accepted research tool. For such experiments to be a useful policymaking tool, however, it is necessary for both researchers and policymakers to have a clear understanding of how the experimental method works and how the results of experiments can be used to inform policy decisions.

The USDA today released its latest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Report . The report continues to see reduced global production estimates for wheat, maize, and soybean. Global rice production, on the other hand, is expected to reach a near-record 464.2 million tons. The changes seen in this month's report are relatively small and were anticipated based on recent price trends.

FAO has released its Food Price Index for August, citing stabilizing world food prices. The Food Price Index has remained steady since July at 213 points. The report points out that while this level is high, it is still 25 points below the peak seen in February 2011.

International grain prices spiked sharply in July and have since stabilized at higher levels, according to the latest FEWS Food Price Watch. The August report reflects deteriorating weather conditions in several key exporting countries. The US drought has had a severe impact on both maize and soybean prices, while earlier South American crop losses have put further upward pressure on soybean prices.

The latest issue of the FAO Monthly News Report has been released. The report covers ongoing trends in grain prices and policies, including the impacts of the US drought and potential export restrictions in Russia.

The FAO Monthly News Report on Grains series provides a collection of news articles from international media and news sources on issues relating to the international grain economy. These reports also include statistics and upcoming events.