Food imports are placing an increasing burden on the world's poorest countries, a new FAO report says. The world food import bill has broadly tripled since 2000 to reach $1.43 trillion in 2017, while it has risen around fivefold for countries that are the most vulnerable to food shortages. This shows a trend that has "been deteriorating over time, portending an increasing challenge, especially for the poorest countries, to meet their basic food needs from international markets. The global food import bill is likely to rise by around 3 percent to about $1.47 trillion this year. The annual increase mostly reflects greater international trade in fish - a high-value food mostly imported by developed countries - and cereals, a staple that is an essential import for many Low-Income Food Deficit Countries (LIFDCs).