Decades of farm gains, inventories strengthen food system against 'super' El Nino

Near-record grain inventories, advances in farming technology and the rise of major exporters such as Brazil and Russia are expected to make the global food system more resilient to this year’s “super” El Nino than in previous decades, according to analysts and the UN FAO. Since the 1980s, world farm output has broadly kept ahead of consumption as higher-yield crop varieties, more fertilizer, and better irrigation and crop protection boosted staples like rice, wheat, corn and soybeans. However, dryness from El Nino has already disrupted planting across parts of Asia, while shortages tied to the Iran war add risk. Forecasts suggest strengthening in Q4 and early next year, with dryness impacts still to come.