KEY MESSAGES
• In West Africa, the effects of last year's flood-‐related production shortfalls and civil insecurity in Nigeria continue to disrupt local and cross-‐border staple food and livestock markets.
In northern Mali, staple food supplies increased in Gao and in parts of Tomboctou, but decreased in Kidal because of the persistent effects of the civil insecurity. Staple food availability was above average in the central basin because of carry-‐over stocks from 2012. Prices in southern Mali and Burkina Faso and parts of neighboring Niger were stable or decreasing, while prices started to increase seasonally in structurally-‐deficit areas elsewhere in the region (Pages 3-‐5).
• In East Africa, staple food prices were atypically stable or decreasing in May due to above-‐average availability from the previous growing season and/or the early onset of the rainy season in Sudan,
South Sudan, Somalia, and in Kenya's urban areas. Staple food prices increased with the onset of the lean season in Ethiopia and decreased in Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda with ongoing harvests. (Pages 6-‐8).
• In Southern Africa, maize grain and maize meal prices decreased on most markets in May as harvests progressed and stocks were released onto markets. Price levels remained above their respective 2012 and five-‐year average levels due to tight regional supplies resulting from localized production shortfalls in the 2011/12 season and strong export demand. Maize prices increased in southeastern Zimbabwe due to localized below-‐average production (Pages 9-‐12).
• In Haiti, imported rice prices were stable in May in Port au Prince, following global price trends, but increased in rural areas. Black bean and maize meal prices were relatively stable. In Central America, bean and maize prices were generally stable or decreasing in May due to lingering effects from above-‐average production in 2012 (Pages 12-‐13).
• In Afghanistan and Tajikistan, wheat and wheat flour prices remained stable in May with the start of winter wheat harvests (Page 14).
• International rice prices remained stable in May (Figure 2). Maize prices increased as markets responded to delayed planting in North America. Wheat prices were stable or decreased slightly, but remained at high levels. Crude oil prices were stable (Pages 2-‐ 3).