{
  "id": 1585798,
  "title": "FAO World Food Prices edged up in April, mainly cereals, vegetable oils and sugar",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/fao-world-food-prices-edged-up-in-april-mainly-cereals-vegetable-oils",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-17T22:09:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MercoPress",
    "slug": "mercopress",
    "url": "https://en.mercopress.com/2026/08/17/fao-world-food-prices-edged-up-in-april-mainly-cereals-vegetable-oils-and-sugar"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The benchmark measure of world food commodity prices saw a slight increase in July 2026, primarily driven by rising prices for cereals, vegetable oils, and sugar, according to the latest data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The FAO Food Price Index rose by 0.6 percent from June to 131.1 points, marking a 1.0 percent increase compared to the same period a year earlier. The FAO Cereal Price Index, which includes wheat, maize, and rice, climbed by 3.4 percent in July, marking the first monthly rise since May. This rebound reversed a decline observed in May, pushing the index 6.9 percent higher than its July 2025 level. Global wheat prices surged by 5.8 percent due to concerns over disruptions to Black Sea export flows and the potential impact of heatwaves on crop yields in several key producing nations. Maize prices increased by 3.6 percent, buoyed by fears of hot and dry conditions in the United States and the ripple effects from higher energy markets amid growing geopolitical tensions. The FAO All Rice Price Index remained relatively stable in July. The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index climbed by 2.0 percent from June, reaching its peak since June 2022. Palm oil prices surged due to strong demand from Indonesia's biodiesel sector and higher crude oil prices, while world soy oil prices rose due to sustained demand in the United States and improved global import demand driven by competitive pricing. Conversely, sunflower and rapeseed oil prices declined. The FAO Meat Price Index dropped by 2.8 percent from its June peak, marking its first monthly decline of the year. Poultry prices fell due to ample supplies in Brazil and robust export availability, while pig meat quotations decreased due to strong supplies in the European Union and subdued global demand. Bovine meat prices also eased, reflecting softer import demand from Asia, while ovine meat prices surged to a new record high, driven by limited exportable supplies in Oceania. The FAO Dairy Price Index fell by 0.7 percent in July, with quotations for whole and skim milk powders and butter experiencing declines. Cheese prices, however, rose for the first time in a year as tighter seasonal milk supplies in the European Union outpaced continuing price declines in Oceania and the influx of abundant export supplies and increased competition from the United States. The FAO Sugar Price Index climbed by 5.6 percent in July, reversing its June decline, primarily due to worries about persistent hot and dry weather affecting crop yields in the European Union and El Niño-related weather conditions in key Asian producing countries. Anticipated stronger demand for ethanol in Brazil, following a temporary rise in the mandatory ethanol blend in gasoline, also bolstered prices, albeit partially offset by improved harvesting conditions in Brazil's Center-South growing regions.",
  "summary": "The benchmark measure of world food commodity prices edged up in July, as recent heatwaves and energy price dynamics pushed up quotations for cereals, vegetable oils and sugar, according to new data released Friday by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}