World food prices remained mostly unchanged in February compared to January, though a rise in rice prices was offset by drops in prices of other key cereals, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in its monthly report.

The overall index averaged 210 points in February, the same as in January, and reflecting trading in a small band between 210 and 212 points since November.

The four-month period with stable prices is in contrast to a long period with price volatility earlier last year.

Prices for cereals -- rice, corn and wheat are the biggest component in the index -- fell by about one percent in February, though that was driven mostly lower wheat and corn prices that fell as a result of improving crop conditions in the United States.

FAO said rice prices rose due to changing policies in Thailand and India, and lower production levels in the United States.

FAO predicted cereals prices would drift lower going forward, based on speculation that wheat prices would fall as a result of improved crop conditions in several countries that sparked an increase of 4.3 percent in predictions for the full-year wheat supply, to 690 million tons. But rice production levels will be harder to predict, FAO said.

In other major food areas, sugar prices fell by 3 percent in February, while dairy prices rose 2.4 percent. Prices for oils and fats and for meats were virtually unchanged from the previous months.

FAO's World Food Prices Index is calculated monthly based on average monthly prices in the five main food commodity groups in 55 key markets worldwide, weighted for the export shares for each group.