(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - Milano, 8 mag - Global food prices in April rose by 1.6% compared to the previous month and were up 2.0% year on year, amid elevated energy prices and disruptions caused by the conflict in the Near East, according to the latest monthly food price index from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The FAO cereal price index rose by 0.8% in April versus March and was up 0.4% on the year, reflecting higher prices across major cereals, with the exception of sorghum and barley.

World wheat prices rose by 0.8% due to concerns over drought in parts of the US and expectations of below-average rainfall in Australia. The increase was also attributed to expectations of reduced wheat plantings this year, as farms shift to less fertilizer-intensive crops amid high fertilizer prices driven by high energy prices and disruptions due to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Global maize prices increased by 0.7% in April while FAO's all rice price index rose by 1.9%, reflecting increased production and marketing costs in most rice-exporting countries following the surge in the prices of crude oil and its derivatives.

The vegetable oil price index increased by 5.9% from March to reach its highest level since July 2022, as palm, soy, sunflower and rapeseed oil prices increased, supported by prospective stronger demand from the biofuel sector amid policy incentives in several producing countries and higher crude oil prices.

The FAO meat price index rose by 1.2% from March and 6.4% from the year earlier to reach a new record high. World bovine meat prices climbed to a new peak, as export quotations increased in Brazil amid limited supplies of.

slaughter-ready cattle. Pig meat prices also rose.

(RADIOCOR) 08-05-26 13:31:43 (0389) 5 NNNN