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Global Wheat Production Expected to Increase This Year

Wheat planting in many countries has increased or is expected to rise this year in response to strong prices as reported today by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Global wheat production rose by 3.4 per cent this year to 676 million tons, but the increase is still below the bumper harvests in 2008 and 2009.

FAO also pointed out that it is still too early to forecast total cereal production for this year because the bulk of the world's coarse grains and paddy crops are yet to be planted.

Looking back to last year's production, the FAO report notes that in the low-income food-deficit countries (LIFDCs) as a group, the 2010 cereal output rose by 5.6 per cent, a development that will result in reduced cereal imports in 2010-2011.

However, the increased production in the LIFDCs will not necessarily bring much relief for those countries as their overall cereal import bill is estimated to increase by 20 per cent because of higher international prices, according to FAO.

Source: United Nations