Prices of cereal, dairy and meat drove global food prices in April, according to a new report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) released Friday.
The increase in the prices of these commodities outweighed the decrease in prices of sugar and vegetable oil in the review period.
An analysis of the data revealed that year-on-year, the average food price index in April 2025 is 7.6 percent above its value in the same period of 2024 (119 points), but remained 19.9 percent below its peak reached in March 2022.
“FAO cereal price index averaged 111.0 points in April, up 1.2 percent from March but still 0.5 percent below its year-earlier level. The monthly increase reflected higher prices across all major cereals,” the report noted.
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According to the food prices index, global wheat prices rose marginally, supported by tightening exportable supplies in the Russian Federation, steady export pace from some major exporters, and currency movements linked to a weaker United States (US) dollar, particularly against the euro.
However, trade policy developments and macroeconomic uncertainty limited the rise.
Similarly, international maize prices also increased, largely due to seasonally tighter stock levels in the US and currency movements, the report said.
Prices of meat averaged 121.6 points in April, up 3.2 percent from March and 4.3 percent higher than its value a year earlier. The report revealed that international meat quotations rose across all categories, with pig meat prices registering the most significant increase.
The rise, according to the report, was due to higher quotations in the European Union due to stronger global import demand, following the reinstatement of Germany’s foot-and-mouth disease-free status and the lifting of related restrictions by importers, further bolstered by increased seasonal demand associated with Easter holidays.
The same was the case with dairy, as prices averaged 152.1 points, up 2.4 percent from its value in March and 23 percent higher than its value a year ago.
“International butter prices rose for the third consecutive month to a new all-time high, with a 2.9 percent increase from March. The surge was largely driven by higher European prices supported by reduced inventories and strong milkfat demand, despite seasonally higher milk production.”
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While prices of cereal, dairy and meat spiked global food prices in the period, vegetable oil prices declined 2.3 percent month-on-month to 158 points in April, however, it remained 20.7 percent above its level a year ago.
This price decline was mainly driven by lower palm oil prices, which more than offset higher soy and rapeseed oil quotations, while global sunflower oil prices remained largely stable.
Also, palm oil prices fell in the international market in the period under review, largely underpinned by a gradual recovery in global export supplies due to seasonally higher outputs in major Southeast Asian producing countries.
“The FAO sugar price index averaged 113 points in April, down 3.5 percent from March, marking the second consecutive monthly decline, and standing 10.9 percent below its level in April 2024,” the report said regarding sugar prices.
