The Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) Food Price Index (FFPI) averaged 133.7 points in December 2021, down 1.2 points (0.9 %) from November, but still up 25.1 points (23.1 %) from December 2020, according to the UN agency’s website.
Except for dairy, the values of all sub-indices encompassed by the FFPI registered monthly declines, with international prices of vegetable oils and sugar falling significantly month-on-month. For 2021 as a whole, the FFPI averaged 125.7 points, as much as 27.6 points (28.1 %) above the previous year with all sub-indices averaging sharply higher than in the previous year.
The FAO Cereal Price Index averaged 140.5 points in December, down 0.9 points (0.6 %) from November. Wheat export prices fell in December, amid improved supplies following harvests in the southern hemisphere and slowing demand. However, maize prices were firmer, underpinned by strong demand and concerns over persistent dryness in Brazil.
International rice prices also softened in December, as demand relapsed, and currencies weakened against the US dollar in various major suppliers.
For 2021 as a whole, the FAO Cereal Price Index averaged 131.2 points, up 28.0 points (27.2 %) from 2020 and the highest annual average registered since 2012.
In 2021, maize and wheat prices were 44.1 and 31.3 % higher than their respective 2020 averages, mostly on strong demand and tighter supplies, especially among major wheat exporters. Rice was the sole major cereal to register a decline in prices in 2021, with quotations falling on average 4.0 % below 2020 levels.
In Tunisia, the family consumer price index for December 2021, published by the National Institute of Statistics (INS), showed an increase of 7.6% in food prices, year-on-year, due to the increase in the price of poultry (23.3%), olive oil (21.8%) and eggs (15.5%).
Prices of fresh fruit also rose by 16.7%, in addition to those of vegetables (10.8%) and fish (9%). On the other hand, prices of sheep meat fell by 3.6%, as well as those of sheep meat by 2.2%. Similarly, dried fruit prices fell by 6.9% compared to December 2020.
In December 2021, the inflation rate confirmed its upward trend, increasing for the third consecutive month, reaching 6.6% after 6.4% in November and 6.3% in October.
