Global Food Prices Rise for Third Straight Month Amid Weather Disruptions

Global food prices have risen for the third consecutive month in September, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). The FAO's monthly Food Price Index averaged 136.0 points in September, up 1.5% from August and 5.8% higher than a year earlier.

Cereals, sugar, and vegetable oils led the increase, with cereal prices rising by 5.1% from August and standing 17.2% above their September 2025 level. Wheat prices jumped 6.3%, driven by logistical constraints in the Black Sea region and dry conditions in parts of North America.

The FAO attributes the price pressure to weather disruptions, transportation challenges, and higher quotations across several crop-based commodity groups. The FAO Chief Economist, Maximo Torero, said 'We are seeing a persistent and increasingly broad-based build-up in global commodity prices, as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea combine with climate shocks.'