World food prices edged up in July, according to the FAO Food Price Index. The index, which tracks monthly international prices of traded foods, reached 131.1 points. That figure stood 0.6 percent above June and 1.0 percent above July 2025. Cereals led the rise, climbing 3.4 percent in a single month. Maize also gained ground as dry heat hurt parts of the United States.
Wheat grew 5.8 percent dearer as heatwaves threatened crops and traders worried about Black Sea exports. Vegetable oil prices rose 2.0 percent, their highest level since June 2022. Palm oil drew support from Indonesian biodiesel demand and firmer crude oil prices. Sugar climbed 5.6 percent because hot, dry weather raised concerns in the European Union and Asia. Meat, by contrast, fell 2.8 percent from June's record, and dairy slipped 0.7 percent. The mixed movements show how weather, energy costs and trade problems reach different foods in different ways.