Conseil économique et social
Session de fond de 2009
Genève, 6-31 juillet 2009
Point 5 de l'ordre du jour provisoire**
Assistance économique spéciale, aide

- World cereal production in 2008 is forecast to increase 4.9 percent to a record 2 232 million tonnes, considerably up from earlier predictions after better than expected results from the major harvests gathered in the past two months.

- Based on the latest production forecast, a significant improvement in the global supply and demand balance for cereals in the 2008/09 season can be expected. Even allowing for a larger increase in utilization than was reported in July, an 8 percent increase in world cereal stocks could be possible.

- International prices of most cereals

- World cereal production in 2008 is forecast to increase 2.8 percent to a record 2 180 million tonnes. Most of the increase is in wheat following significant expansion in plantings in all regions. Coarse grains output is expected around the bumper level of last year but lower than earlier anticipated due to severe floods in the United States, the world's largest producer and exporter. Rice is tentatively forecast to increase slightly from last year's good level.

- Despite the anticipated increase in world output, cereal markets will remain tight in 2008/09. Total cereal