The World Bank has issued a list of the food inflation hit nations across the globe. Pakistan is among them, but food inflation in our country is not as bad as in some other countries including Turkiye and Sri Lanka which have been ranked among the top 10 hardest-hit territories.

Food inflation in Pakistan remains below 30% and real food inflation “defined as food inflation minus overall inflation” is below 5%, according to the World Bank Food Security Update released on January 31.

Data for Afghanistan suggests that the country’s food inflation is between 5% and 30% while the real food inflation lies below 2%.

Food inflation in India was recorded between 2% and 5% and real food inflation below zero percent, that is, nonexistent. Bangladesh recorded food inflation of around 8% while real food inflation remains nonexistent.

India, Russia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Vietnam are among the countries where real food inflation remains below zero. A word of caution though, the data is based on the official Consumer Price Indices (CPI) as measured by the government in these countries.

Most countries in the world have seen food prices climb in the past year. The World Bank gathered data between September to December 2022.

Canada and the United States have seen 10% food inflation and around 4% real food inflation.

The list of top-10 food inflation-hit countries indicates that Zimbabwe is at the top with 285% inflation. People in Turkiye are also experiencing a terrible situation with 77% inflation.

Countries Inflation %

1. Zimbabwe 285
2. Venezuela 158
3. Lebanon 143
4. Argentina 95
5. Türkiye 77
6. Ghana 60
7. Sri Lanka 59
8. Rwanda 59
9. Haiti 53

The countries affected most are in Africa, North America, Latin America, South Asia, Europe, and Central Asia, said the report.

In a joint press release, United Nations System and the UN Global Action Plan on Child Wasting, have called for urgent action to protect the most vulnerable children in the 15 countries hardest hit by the unprecedented food crises.

“More than 30 million children in these countries suffer from wasting—or acute malnutrition—and 8 million of these children suffer from severe wasting, the deadliest form of malnutrition,” read the statement.

“Conflict, climate shocks, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and rising costs of living are increasing the number of acutely malnourished children as access to key health, nutrition, and other life-saving services declines.”

Moreover, the World Bank said that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine made the food security situation worst.