Paris (France) (AFP) – Food prices rose again in September, due to shipping disruptions in the Black Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, as well as this summer's drought, according to the FAO monthly report.

First modification: 02/10/2026 - 21:14

Sugar reached its highest level since spring 2025, with the price index rising 6.1% in one month (+14.7% in one year), marking a third consecutive monthly increase.

The food price index calculated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) increased by 1.5% in September compared to the previous month and 5.8% compared to the previous year.

However, it is still well below its maximum, reached in March 2022.

"We are seeing increasingly widespread and persistent tension in agricultural commodity prices. Disturbances in the Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea, coupled with climate impacts, are putting upward pressure on the prices of energy, transportation and basic agricultural products," said Máximo Torero, FAO chief economist.

"If these tensions continue, they will affect food prices," he added.

The cereal price index increased by 5.1% in September compared to August, which represents an increase of 17.2% compared to September 2025.

Wheat alone saw its prices increase by 6.3% in one month (+17.2% in one year), due to Russian and Ukrainian attacks in the Black Sea.

Another factor is excessively dry weather in several regions of North America before planting.

In Europe, the sugar beet harvest is expected to record a clear decline due to drought, while forecasts for sugar production in Thailand and sugar cane harvest in India were revised downwards due to the El Niño phenomenon.

In addition, heavy rains are disrupting the harvest in key regions of Brazil.

The exceptions to this upward trend are the price index for meat (-1.1% in one month, stable in one year) and dairy products (-0.1% in one month and -19.1% in one year), which are in decline.

Chicken prices are falling due to abundant exports from Brazil and a drop in demand in Europe, following the suspension of Brazilian imports into the EU, which requires guarantees on compliance with its health standards.

© 2026 AFP

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