The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation has lowered its forecast for global cereal production this year amid reduced prospects for coarse grains and wheat - although world cereal output is set to grow 1.8 percent year-on-year, FAO said in a report on Thursday.
Worldwide coarse grain production in 2019 is expected to increase by 1.2 percent to 1.425 billion tonnes, according to FAO's Cereal Supply and Demand Brief.
Wheat output is seen growing by 4.5 percent to a record level of 765 million tonnes, while the global rice production forecast is pegged at 513.4 million tonnes, slightly below last year's level, the report said.
Rainfall shortages next year may hamper the sowing of crops, including wheat in the European Union and maize in South America, the report warned, noting that the weather outlook is "generally favourable" for crop plantings in Russia and South Africa.
World cereal utilization in 2019/20 is forecast at 2.709 billion tonnes, a record high, while world cereal stocks are seen at 849.5 million tonnes by the end of the 2020 seasons, down 1.5 percent from their opening levels, said the report.
FAO anticipates a "modest decline" in the global cereal stock-to-use ratio to 30.4 percent, which is still judged a comfortable level, according to the report.
Wheat inventories are expected to rise worldwide, while those of maize and rice are seen falling.
World trade in cereals in 2019 is expected to rise 0.7 percent to 415 million tonnes, said FAO.
