While global agricultural and fish production is projected to grow by around 20% over the coming decade, this will happen mostly in Africa and Asia, with western Europe expected to be one of the slowest-growing producers.

Meanwhile, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) are forecasting that food demand will continue to grow, but at a slower rate. This is due to “declining population growth, flat levels of per-capita consumption for staple foods and slowing demand growth for meat products”.

Trade

Net exports from regions with large areas of land, especially the Americas, are predicted to increase. Conversely, the Middle East and parts of Africa will import more food.

“It will be essential that exporters and importers alike have access to an open and predictable trade policy environment,” said OECD secretary-general Angel Gurría, at a time when Brexit and escalating trade tensions with the US threaten international trade.

Official EU grain harvest forecast back 2.5%

European milk prices to rise

Decade of low prices – global agriculture outlook

Food prices are set to remain low for the next 10 years, as supply increases and demand growth slows down, according to the FAO-OECD Agricultural Outlook published this week.