Rabobank is predicting that global food prices will remain
low and steady next year – good news for consumers, but not for farmers.
The report calls China the “wildcard” in this scenario
because of that nation’s large share of global agricultural commodity imports,
which would affect world markets if China begins selling these commodities.
It also says president-elect Donald Trump might disrupt
trade with “wide-reaching effects on U.S. imports and exports of comodities . .
.”
Meanwhile, ongoing consumer shifts in developing countries
are expected to turn toward more meat-based, Western-style diets, which is
expected to drive consumption and support the prices of soybeans and beef, the
report noted.
