London, May 8 (SANA) Global food prices rose in April to their highest level in more than three years, driven mainly by a sharp increase in vegetable oil prices amid rising energy costs and ongoing geopolitical tensions linked to the U.S.-Iran war, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said.
According to the FAO’s latest monthly report, the Food Price Index rose 1.6 percent from the previous month to 130.7 points, its highest level since February 2023.
Vegetable oil prices recorded the largest increase, climbing 5.9 percent due to higher prices for soybean, sunflower, rapeseed and palm oils, as well as the impact of biofuel policies.
The report also showed cereal prices rising 0.8 percent in April and 0.4 percent year-on-year, driven by concerns over weather conditions, rising fertilizer costs and growing demand for biofuels.
Meat prices increased 1.2 percent to record levels amid shortages in cattle supplies, while sugar prices fell 4.7 percent on expectations of larger supplies from Brazil, China and Thailand.
FAO also projected a decline in global wheat acreage in 2026, as farmers are expected to shift toward crops requiring less fertilizer in response to rising production costs.
At the same time, the organization slightly raised its forecast for global cereal production in 2025, predicting a record output of 3.04 billion tons, nearly 6 percent higher than the previous year.
Last month, FAO warned that tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and broader instability in the Middle East could severely disrupt global food and agriculture markets by affecting energy and fertilizer supplies and driving up commodity prices.
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