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Informist, Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

 

MUMBAI – The UN Food and Agriculture Organization's Food Price Index rose 0.9% month-on-month to 125.3 points in February, after five consecutive months of decline. Increases in the price indices for cereals, meats and vegetable oils more than offset declines in dairy and sugar, the global body said in a release. The index for February was 1.0?low its year-ago value and as much as 21.8% down from the peak reached in March 2022, it said.

 

The Sugar Price Index was down 4.1% in February, marking its second consecutive month of decline and its lowest level since October 2020. "Expectations of ample global supplies in the current season continued to exert downward pressure on world sugar prices. Overall favourable production prospects, including forecasts of a record output in the United States of America, more than offset upward price pressure stemming from the downward revision to India's production forecast and the seasonal decline in output in Brazil," it said.

 

The FAO Cereal Price Index averaged 108.6 points in February, up 1.1% from January. World wheat prices rose 1.8%, underpinned by reports of frosts and heightened winterkill risks in parts of Europe and the US. Logistical disruptions in the Russian Federation and continuing tensions in the Black Sea region also contributed to the increase.

 

The Vegetable Oil Price Index at an average of 174.2 points in February was up 3.3%, reaching the highest level since June 2022. "The increase was driven by higher prices of palm, soy and rapeseed oils, more than offsetting lower sunflower oil quotations," the FAO said.

 

Price index for meat was up 0.8% in February and was largely driven by higher world bovine and ovine meat prices, while poultry and pig meat quotations registered only marginal rise.

 

The Dairy Price Index was down 1.2% in February, mainly due to a continued decline in cheese prices, particularly in the European Union, driven by improved milk availability, softer demand from key export markets, and intensified international competition. "By contrast, international quotations for both skim milk and whole milk powders increased notably, supported by a pick-up in import demand, particularly from North Africa, the Near East and Southeast Asia, alongside a seasonal slowdown in milk supply growth in New Zealand," the release said.  End

 

Reported by Abhijit Doshi 

Edited by Tanima Banerjee

 

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