Global food prices reach highest level since 2022 — NDTV World

Global food prices in September 2026 rose to their highest level in nearly four years. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s Food Price Index stood at 136 points, compared with a revised 134 points in August, marking the highest level since November 2022, NDTV World reports.

Rising prices for grains, sugar and oils

FAO noted that agricultural commodity markets were affected by logistical disruptions and concerns over weather conditions. In September, indicative prices for cereals, sugar and vegetable oils increased, while quotations for meat and dairy products declined.

Concerns over a strong El Niño weather phenomenon pushed international sugar prices to an 18-month high. At the same time, a war-related reduction in Black Sea trade at the beginning of last month drove wheat futures to a three-year high.

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Forecast for grain production and trade

FAO Chief Economist Máximo Torero said that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea, together with climate shocks, are putting pressure on energy, transportation and key food commodities. According to him, if these factors persist, they may be reflected in consumer prices, primarily in countries dependent on food and energy imports.

FAO made almost no changes to its forecast for global cereal production in 2026, leaving it at 2.979 billion tonnes. This is 2.1% below the previous year’s record level, but still the second-largest harvest on record. The organization also lowered its forecast for global cereal trade in the 2026/27 season by 0.7% due to lower expectations for wheat and corn exports, including because of shipping restrictions in the Black Sea.