FAO-tracked world cereal prices hit 19-month high on fuel, fertiliser costs
Key takeaways
- In its monthly report tracking five key commodities, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warned of the risks to global food prices from a potential reduction in fertiliser use.
- Around 40% of the world’s fertiliser supply comes from the Middle East, where the major shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz has been blocked since the US-Israel conflict with Iran began in late February.
- While the overall FAO food index tracking the prices of cereals, meat, dairy, oils and sugar dipped 0.2% in May from a month earlier, it was 2.9% higher than in May 2025.
FAO-tracked world cereal prices hit 19-month high on fuel, fertiliser costs https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/production-wheat-flour-535439197?tracking Id=8d71bd13-52f5-4175-87a1-038c2ef9554e · Just Food · Sergey Butin/Shutterstock.com Simon Harvey Fri, June 5, 2026 at 9:42 PM GMT+7 3 min read Average world cereal prices rose in May to a 19-month high due to cost pressures in fuel and fertiliser linked to the Strait of Hormuz blockade.
In its monthly report tracking five key commodities, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warned of the risks to global food prices from a potential reduction in fertiliser use.
Around 40% of the world’s fertiliser supply comes from the Middle East, where the major shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz has been blocked since the US-Israel conflict with Iran began in late February.