The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) is a food price index by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. It records the development of world market prices of 24 agricultural commodities and foodstuffs from five major food commodity groups.[1][2] The FFPI is considered an indicator of future inflation[citation needed] and cost trends in the food industry.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Food Price Index 1961–2024 in nominal and real terms. Years 2014–2016 is 100.

Concept

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The trade-weighted FAO Food Price Index is technically a price index and is calculated using the Laspeyres formula. It documents the development of world market prices of 24 agricultural commodities and foodstuffs in U.S. dollars. Foodstuffs have been grouped by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations into five commodity groups (meat, dairy products, cereals, oils and fats, and sugar).

When calculating the price index according to Étienne Laspeyres, the weights chosen (i.e., the quantities consumed) come from the base year. The reference period from 2014 to 2016 (index value 100) serves as the basis. The index determines the price of the commodity groups in the composition of the base year at goods prices of the reference year in relation to the price of the same commodity groups (same consumption quantities) at goods prices of the base year. From all the data, FAO calculates five sub-indices, which together make up the overall index.

The FAO Food Price Index is published on the first Thursday of every month.[1]

Composition

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  Food Price Index
  Oils
  Dairy
  Meat
  sugar

The overall index consists of the following five sub-indices:[3]

  • Meat Price Index (price index for meat)
  • Dairy Price Index (price index for dairy products)
  • Cereals Price Index (price index for cereals)
  • Oils Price Index (price index for oils and fats)
  • Sugar Price Index (price index for sugar)

Historical development

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Food Price Index for the United States

The table shows the development of the FAO Food Price Index since 1990.[3]

Date Food price index
(2014 to 2016=100)
2004 65.6
2005 67.4
2006 72.6
2007 94.3
2008 117.5
2009 91.6
2010 106.7
2011 131.9
2012 122.8
2013 120.1
2014 115.0
2015 93.0
2016 91.9
2017 98.0
2018 95.9
2019 95.1
2020 98.1
2021 125.7
January 2022 135.4
March 2022 159.3
February 2023 129.8

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Cluff, Meritt; Mustafa, Shirley (June 2020). "Revisions To The FAO Food Price Indices". fao.org.
  2. ^ Mustafa, Shirley. "The FAO Food Price Index" (PDF). Food Industry. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b "The FAO Food Price Index rises to a new all-time high in February". www.fao.org. Retrieved 2022-03-28.