Publication

This paper reviews the policy options available to the UK government to deal with spikes in food prices on world markets in the future. Though the spike of 2007/08 is thought to have been caused by a relatively unusual confluence of factors, additional pressures are likely to apply to cereals markets in the near future, making international price spikes more of a risk — although just how much is in debate. Coming two years after the peak of the international cereals price spike in 2008, this paper benefits from a wide pool of literature on policy options for dealing with and preparing for a cereal price spike that has since accumulated.