Overview
- The FAO Food Price Index, a gauge of globally traded food costs, reached 128.5 in March, up 2.4% from February and 1.0% from a year earlier, the highest since December.
- Rising energy prices raise transport and processing costs for food, which can push up import bills for countries that rely on global markets.
- FAO said the latest increase reflects energy price gains linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
- The agency warned that fertilizer supply disruptions and high energy costs are adding uncertainty to food markets.
- In a separate update, FAO lifted its 2025 global cereal output forecast to a record 3.036 billion metric tons, equal to a 5.8% rise from last year.