Representational file photo.
Rome: World food commodity prices generally declined in October, driven largely by ample global supplies, according to the benchmark measure released Friday by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI), which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of a set of globally-traded food commodities, averaged 126.4 points in October 2025, down 2.1 points (1.6 percent) from the revised September level of 128.5 points, marking its second consecutive monthly decline. Lower price indices for cereals, dairy products, meat and sugar outweighed an increase in the vegetable oil index. Overall, the FFPI was slightly below its October 2024 level and remained 33.8 points (21.1 percent) lower than its peak in March 2022.
The FAO Sugar Price Index declined by 5.3 percent from the previous month to its lowest level since December 2020, driven by strong production trends in Brazil and anticipated larger outputs in Thailand and India. Lower crude oil prices also exerted further downward pressure on world sugar prices through lower demand from the biofuel sector.
The FAO Dairy Price Index declined by 3.4 percent in October, led by a sharp decline in butter quotations tied to ample export availabilities from the European Union and New Zealand.
The FAO Meat Price Index declined by 2.0 percent in the month, led by sharp drops in pig and poultry prices. Bovine meat prices, however, continued to rise, driven by higher quotations from Australia due to firm global demand.
The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index moved against the overall downward trend, rising by 0.9 percent in October to its highest level since July 2022.
FAO also released on Friday updated forecasts for global cereal markets. World cereal production is expected to rise by 4.4 percent in 2025 to reach 2,990 million tonnes, a new record level, with foreseen output increases across all major cereals.
