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 was the main commodity traded in the region between July and September 2020 followed by dry beans, rice and sorghum.
• Easing of some measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 infections in addition to adaptation by traders to operating under COVID-19 scenario led to increased regional trade for most commodities during the second quarter of 2020.
• Livestock trade increased for some specific trade corridors despite the end of the September high season related to Hajj religious festivities in the Middle East.
• Staple food commodity parity price trends followed seasonal trends during the third quarter of 2020 except for Somalia where prices continued on an upward trend due to tight supplies following below average harvest. Prices are expected to trend seasonably in the next six months.