The Market Analysis Sub-group of the Food Security and Nutrition Working Group (FSNWG) monitors informal cross- border trade of 88 food commodities and livestock in eastern Africa in order to quantify the impact on regional food security. Recent updates indicate that:

• Maize grain remained the most traded commodity in the region in the fourth quarter of 2022 (October to December). Trade flows were below average due to policy and security- related supply disruptions to South Sudan. Rice trade increased because of increased re-exports of overseas imports to Ethiopia from Somalia and as wetland production in Uganda declined due to the new policy.
• Regional trade in maize, sorghum, rice, and dry beans was below average, driven by local harvest in the main consumption markets supported by below-average harvests, high cost of production and marketing, and reduced trading margins.
• Staple food prices followed seasonal patterns but were elevated given below-average harvests, high costs of production and marketing, and the war in Ukraine conflict-related high global commodity prices.
• Livestock trade was unseasonably above-average due to varying rangeland conditions and purchasing power as traders moved animals to places with pasture and feed for fattening and export to the Middle East. Others offloaded animals in consumption markets and cut drought-related losses.