Key facts
- World food prices reached their highest level in over three years in July.
- The FAO Food Price Index averaged 131.1 points in July, an increase from 130.3 in June.
- Cereal prices rose 3.4% month-on-month, with wheat prices jumping 5.8%.
- Adverse weather and war escalation in the Gulf and Black Sea regions contributed to the price increases.
World food prices surged in July, reaching their highest point in over three years, according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The FAO Food Price Index, which monitors international trade in food commodities, recorded an average of 131.1 points in July, surpassing the June figure of 130.3 and marking the highest reading since January 2023.
The increase was primarily driven by a 3.4% rise in the FAO's Cereal Price Index, which was itself fueled by a significant 5.8% jump in wheat prices. These upward pressures on crop markets were exacerbated by adverse weather conditions and escalating conflicts in the Gulf and Black Sea regions.
However, conflicting data from a separate FAO report indicates that the FAO Food Price Index averaged 130.1 points in July 2025, a 1.6% increase from June, with meat and vegetable oil prices driving the rise. This report also noted a 0.8% decrease in the cereal index and a 7.1% increase in the vegetable oil index, while the meat index reached a new all-time high. Another report from June 2026 states the FAO Food Price Index averaged 130.3 points, down 0.3% from May, with declines in sugar, cereals, and dairy products offsetting increases in vegetable oils and meat. This report also indicated a 4.4% decline in world wheat prices and a 6.2% fall in world maize prices in June 2026.