Rising agricultural prices: Causes, consequences and responses

World prices of wheat, coarse grains (in particular corn), rice and oilseed crops nearly doubled between 2005 and 2007 and continued to rise in early 2008. These prices, along with those of meat, sugar and dairy products, are likely to ease somewhat in the next 10 years, but are likely to stay well above the average of the past decade. This Policy Brief looks at the causes of the current price spike, what it may mean for prices in the future, and how governments can craft policies to cope.

OECD - September 2008. Please find the document here.