[앵커]
World food prices are rising sharply as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prolongs.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations expressed deep concern that world food prices hit a record high last month, up nearly 13% from the previous month.
This is a report by Lee Dong-heon, a reporter.
[기자]
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), global food prices rose 12.6% in March compared to February.
The food price index in March was 159.3 points, the highest recorded since 1990 when the world food price trend was measured.
It broke the previous record of 141.4 in February in just one month.
This is because the price of major grains such as wheat and oats and cooking oil soared in the aftermath of the Ukraine war.
[맥시모 토레로 쿨렌 / FAO 수석 전문위원 : 우크라와 러시아가 전 세계 곡물 수출의 30%, 해바라기유 수출의 63%를 차지하기 때문에 식량 가격이 오르고 있습니다.]
In particular, edible oil surged more than 23% in one month, the largest rise.
The FAO also lowered its global wheat production forecast for this year by 6 million tonnes, stating that at least 20% of Ukrainian wheat plantations are likely to fail.
Not only that, he pointed out that fertilizer prices are also rising, which is a bigger problem.
[맥시모 토레로 쿨렌 / FAO 수석 전문위원 : 비료 가격이 상당히 오르고 있습니다. 다음 계절 식량 생산에 영향을 줄 수 있어서 정말 걱정되는 부분입니다.]
The FAO was concerned that such a sharp rise in food prices would exacerbate hunger crises in underdeveloped countries such as Africa and the Middle East.
In fact, in some countries, such as Peru, anti-government protests are intensifying to protest the rise in prices caused by food and oil prices.
This is YTN Lee Dong-heon.
YTN Lee Dong-heon (dhlee@ytn.co.kr)
※ ‘Your report becomes news’
[카카오톡] Search YTN to add a channel
[전화] 02-398-8585
[메일] social@ytn.co.kr
[저작권자(c) YTN & YTN plus 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]