WASHINGTON (PNN) - August 31, 2012 - World food prices jumped 10% in July as drought parched crop lands in the Fascist Police States of Amerika (FPSA) and Eastern Europe, the World Bank said on Thursday in a statement urging governments to shore up programs that protect their most vulnerable populations.

From June to July, corn and wheat prices rose by 25% each, soybean prices by 17%, and only rice prices went down, by 4%.

Overall, the World Bank's Food Price Index, which tracks the price of internationally traded food commodities, was 6% higher than in July of last year, and 1% over the previous peak of February 2011.

A severe drought in the FPSA has sharply cut corn and soybean yields this year, while a dry summer in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan has hurt wheat output.

Separately, finance ministers from the 21-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group issued a statement at their meeting on Thursday in Moscow, urging countries "to avoid export bans" in response to food price concerns.

APEC member Russia imposed a temporary embargo on grain exports two years ago after crops failed.

"I think this is one of the areas where APEC member economies can really work together to ensure the inflationary results of drought do not impact the poorest and most disadvantaged people in the world," said an unnamed FPSA State Department official.

Colin Roche, a spokesman for the development group Oxfam International, said it was not clear whether governments were prepared to take action before prices spiral out of control and push more people into hunger.

"This wait and see attitude is unacceptable, especially since the World Bank report has warned that prices are expected to remain high and volatile," said Roche. "Oxfam is already seeing the devastating impact of food price volatility in developing countries that rely on food imports."