PARIS, April 3 — World food prices climbed in March to their highest level since September last year and could rise further if the Middle East conflict that pushed up energy...
Jalan Sultan Ismail red light crash: Man in KL charged with dangerous driving after crashing into two bikers, causing one to lose his legA field of hard red spring wheat in Enderlin, North Dakota, US, July 22, 2025.
World food prices climbed in March to their highest level since September last year and could rise further if the Middle East conflict that pushed up energy prices continues, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said on Friday. — Reuters picand enjoy FREE RM10 & when you sign up using code VERSAMM10 with min. cash of RM100 today! T&Cs apply.PARIS, April 3 — World food prices climbed in March to their highest level since September last year and could rise further if the Middle East conflict that pushed up energy prices continues, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said on Friday. “Price rises since the conflict began have been modest, driven mainly by higher oil prices and cushioned by ample global cereal supplies,” FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero said in a statement. But if the conflict lasts over 40 days and input costs remain high, farmers may reduce inputs, plant less, or switch crops to less intensive fertiliser crops, he said. “Those choices will hit future yields and shape our food supply and commodity prices for the rest of this year and all of the next,” he added. The FAO Food Price Index, which measures changes in a basket of globally traded food commodities, rose by 2.4 per cent from its revised February level. It is 1 per cent above its value a year ago, although nearly 20 per cent below its March 2022 peak, reached after the start of the war in Ukraine.The cereal price index increased by 1.5 per cent from the previous month, led by a 4.3 per cent increase in international wheat prices due to worsening crop prospects in the U.S. and expectations of lower plantings in Australia due to higher fertiliser costs. Global maize prices edged up as ample global supply offset concerns over fertiliser costs, and indirect support from greater ethanol demand prospects linked to higher energy prices.Vegetable oil prices increased 5.1 per cent, marking the third consecutive monthly rise. Higher quotations for palm, soy, sunflower, and rapeseed oil reflected the impact of rising global energy prices and expectations of stronger biofuel demand.Sugar prices jumped 7.2 per cent in March to their highest since October 2025, as higher crude oil prices drove expectations that Brazil, the world’s largest sugar exporter, would channel more sugarcane into producing ethanol. Meat prices rose 1.0 per cent, led by higher pig meat prices in the European Union and bovine meat prices in Brazil, while poultry prices edged lower. In a separate report, the FAO slightly raised its estimate for the 2025 global cereal production forecast to a record 3.036 billion metric tonnes. It would be 5.8 per cent higher year-on-year. — Reuters
FAO Maximo Torero Middle East Conflict Cereal Price Index Palm Oil Prices
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