ROME, May 6 Reuters  World food prices eased slightly in April after hitting a record high in March, but global food security remained a concern because of the difficult market conditions, U.N. food agency said on Friday.

The Food and Agriculture Organization39;s FAO food price index, which tracks the most globally traded food commodities, averaged 158.5 points last month versus an upwardly revised 159.7 for March.

The March figure was previously put at 159.3.

The small decrease in the index is a welcome relief, particularly for lowincome fooddeficit countries, but still food prices remain close to their recent highs, reflecting persistent market tightness and posing a challenge to global food security for the most vulnerable, said FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero Cullen.

Although it declined monthonmonth, the April index was 29.8 higher than a year earlier, pushed up in part by concerns over the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The agency39;s cereal price index fell 0.7 in April after a 17 jump in March. While maize prices dropped 3.0, wheat prices rose 0.2. FAO said wheat was hit by the blockage of ports in Ukraine and worries over crop conditions in the United States, however these concerns were partially offset by larger shipments from India and higherthanexpected exports from Russia.

FAO39;s vegetable oil price index dropped 5.7 in April, as demand rationing pushed down prices for palm, sunflower and soy oils.

Sugar prices increased 3.3, the meat…