Economic slow-down and possible recession in the United States and other rich countries will not affect the rising trend in food prices, the head of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said today.
FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf said the fundamentals that have pushed food prices to records in recent months - climate change, emerging country demand, demand for biofuels and population growth - remained in place.
"Even if there's a slowdown in the economy and we see people reducing their consumption it certainly won't be on food, it will certainly go to other commodities before it reaches food," he said.
Far from demand for food in emerging markets easing, there was food inflation in those countries, he said.
Mr Diouf said it was understandable some countries were deterring food exports through duties or quantitative restrictions, as they sought to ensure food security and prevent social problems.
But taken together such moves would compound the global problem, he said.