The FAO director-general, questioned by deputies in the European parliament, said the increase was fuelled by a variety of factors.

"First cereal stocks have reached their lowest levels. Add to that the effects of climate change," he told the MEPs, citing as examples drought in Australia, flooding in Asia and hurricanes in the Caribbean.

"On top of those factors we have growing demand for emerging nations, where revenue is rising, China, India... and we also have the transformation of agricultural products into biofuels," he continued.

These factors explain why for some cereal prices have doubled and mean there is a "risk of social and political troubles in third world nations in the months or years to come," Diouf warned.

In the poorest countries, he added. "around 60 percent of revenue goes on food".

Noting that climate change was making the FAO's job "more difficult", Diouf said that a world summit on the issue of food security and global warming would be organised next June.

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