Global food prices remained stable in May, with increases in cereals, sugar, and beef offset by declines in vegetable oil.
Key facts
- •The FAO Food Price Index averaged 130.8 points in May 2026, down 0.2 percent from April and 2.9 percent higher than a year ago.
- •World wheat prices rose 3.4 percent in May, supported by smaller expected harvests in major exporters like the US.
- •U.S. Hard Red Winter wheat prices in May 2026 were 28 percent higher than in May 2025.
- •The FAO Sugar Price Index rose by 7.5 percent in May.
- •The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index declined by 4.6 percent from April.
- •The FAO Meat Price Index inched up 0.1 percent, with world bovine meat prices rising on the back of robust import demand.
The FAO Food Price Index averaged 130.8 points in May 2026, down 0.2 percent from April and 2.9 percent higher than a year ago. World wheat prices rose 3.4 percent in May, supported by smaller expected harvests in major exporters like the US.
Cereal Prices
The FAO Cereal Price Index increased by 2.6 percent from April and was nearly 5.0 percent higher than a year ago. World wheat prices rose 3.4 percent on the month and 7.8 percent from their year-earlier level, supported by smaller expected harvests in major exporters, including the United States. U.S. Hard Red Winter wheat prices in May 2026 were 28 percent higher than in May 2025. Maize prices rose 1.9 percent on the back of stronger import demand in key markets, tighter availability in Brazil and the United States, and firmer energy prices that boosted ethanol-related demand.
Other Commodity Prices
The FAO Sugar Price Index rose by 7.5 percent in May, pushed up by data indicating a lower share of Brazil’s sugarcane output being allocated to sugar production. The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index declined by 4.6 percent from April, the first monthly decline in 2026. The FAO Meat Price Index inched up 0.1 percent, with world bovine meat prices rising on the back of robust import demand, particularly from China and the United States.
This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by MercoPress.
