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Global food prices ended their three month slide after they stabilized in January, but the United Nations warned prices could spike in 2013 if poor weather curtails production of wheat, corn, rice and other cereals.

The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization said the food price index, which measures monthly price changes in cereals, dairy, meat, sugar and oilseeds, was 210 in January, unchanged from the prior month. Food prices have leveled off and even declined in recent months after climbing during much of 2012 following concern that drought plaguing the United States and other parts of the world could spark a food crisis.

"Given the tight supply situation, weather remains an important determinant of prices," said FAO Senior Grains Economist Abdolreza Abbassian. "For several cereals, production needs to increase significantly this year in order to avoid unexpected price surges."

Early prospects for 2013 cereal production point to increased world wheat output. Contributing largely to this jump is an estimated 4 to 5 percent increase in wheat acreage in the European Union where weather conditions have been strong. But the UN said the outlook for wheat in the United States is "less favorable."

The agency said despite a 1 percent increase in winter wheat plantings and an expected surge in plantings for spring wheat , severe drought continues to plague the southern Plains where much of the crop is considered very poor. Locally, 99.98 percent of Iowa is classified by the U.S. government as having moderate to exceptional drought, up from 30 percent at this time last year.

Food prices in the United States are forecast to rise between 3.5 and 4 percent this year, an increase from 2.6 percent in 2012, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department.

In its monthly report, the UN estimated world cereal production at 2.302 billion, up 20 million tonnes from the December estimate but still down 2 percent from 2011's record crop. The increase was the result of favorable wheat and corn crops. World cereal stocks at the close of crop seasons ending in 2013 are estimated at around 495 million tonnes, unchanged from the previous report in
December but down 3 percent, or about 16.2 million tonnes from their opening level.

The USDA is scheduled to release its monthly crop report detailing U.S. and global production and stock levels at noon eastern time on Friday.