FAO food price index falls 1.2 percent in October

The FAO Food Price Index averaged 133.9 points in October 2026, down 1.6 points or 1.2 percent from its revised September level, as cereal, meat and dairy prices fell and sugar rose to its highest since December 2024.

Why it matters: The decline reverses three months of increases that had taken world food prices to their highest since 2022, with wheat falling after four monthly rises, while sugar keeps climbing on Brazilian harvest disruption.

Data as of FAO Food Price Index release for October 2026, published November 6, 2026 and read in full on FAO's own site in this run; the item first surfaced in the Asia-Pacific pool via Yonhap, in Korean, and every figure here is FAO's own. Developing item.

The FAO Food Price Index averaged 133.9 points in October, down 1.2 percent from its revised September level and 5.9 percent above a year earlier, the Food and Agriculture Organization said on Friday. The cereal index fell 4.5 percent to 116.8 points as wheat prices declined after four consecutive monthly increases on subdued demand and an improving production outlook in Argentina, while the rice index rose 1.6 percent. Meat fell 1.2 percent to 125.5 points and dairy fell 1.1 percent to 117.8 points, while vegetable oils rose 0.3 percent to 199.2 points.

Sugar moved the other way: the sugar price index rose 6.6 percent to 121.3 points, its fourth consecutive monthly increase and its highest level since December 2024, driven by rainfall disruption to sugarcane harvesting and crushing in Brazil’s Centre-South region and concern over production in India, the European Union and Thailand.

FAO food price index falls 1.2 percent in October

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