Reuters: Global Food Inflation Could Last Into 2027; FAO Index Stood at 136 Points in September

Reuters warned in a report published on Monday 19 October 2026 (27 Mehr 1405) that higher shipping costs, disrupted grain export routes, costlier fertiliser and weather concerns could intensify food inflation in the final months of the year and keep pressure on consumers into 2027. According to Mehr News Agency's account of the report, wheat prices have risen by more than 30% in 2026, rice has gone up 10% to 13% in major Asian exporters, and freight on some routes, including the Black Sea to Southeast Asia, has climbed about 50%.

Official FAO data show its world Food Price Index at 136.0 points in September 2026, 1.5% above August and 5.8% above a year earlier. The FAO linked higher wheat prices to logistical constraints in the Black Sea region and to uncertainty over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The World Bank, as cited in the same report, says food inflation in the third quarter exceeded headline inflation in 22% of the 150 countries it reviewed, up from 14% in the previous quarter.