World food prices at highest since 2022 as supply risks mount, FAO says
FAO index rises 1.9% in August, with cereal and sugar prices leading gains
Food prices soared in August to their highest level since late 2022, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). This surge is due to adverse weather conditions, geopolitical conflicts, and disruptions in global trade, according to the FAO's Food Price Index. The index, which tracks monthly changes in a basket of traded food commodities, averaged 133.3 points in August, up from 130.8 in July.
This marks the highest score since November 2022, though it is still nearly 17% below the record peak in March 2022, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The FAO's Chief Economist, Maximo Torero, warned that the increasing risk premium in food markets is a result of climate shocks, geopolitical tensions, and disrupted trade logistics.
The price of cereals, vegetable oils, sugar, meat, and dairy all rose in August, with the FAO's cereals price index increasing by 2.2% month-on-month to its highest since May 2024. The price of sugar jumped 11.9% to its highest since June 2025 due to lower production in Brazil and Europe. Projected global cereal production for 2026 is forecasted to decline by 3.4 million metric tons, now 2.0% below 2025, the largest annual decrease since 2018.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Star BD Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
