Global spending on food imports is expected to reach $1.94 trillion in 2022, a 10% year-on-year increase due to rising prices, FAO warned on Friday.
Adding to this surge in food spending, global imports of agricultural inputs, including fertilizers, are expected to increase by 48% compared to 2021, with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization already seeing the food impact. He warns that he is concerned that fragile countries are being harassed. by anxiety.
FAO warns in its biannual Food Outlook report that the consequences will be dramatic for poorer importing countries that pay more for less. Given that “most of the increase in bills will be concentrated in high-income countries,” this is because higher-income countries will also see greater purchases, as opposed to economically weaker countries such as Madagascar, Liberia and Lebanon.
“Total food imports for low-income groups are projected to decline by 10% in volume, but are expected to remain virtually unchanged,” FAO said.
Already suffering from malnutrition, sub-Saharan Africa is expected to spend an additional $4.8 billion on food imports, despite falling volumes.
FAO warns that “growing accessibility problems in these countries” could herald “the end of resistance to rising international prices”