Global food prices have risen mildly in recent months due to geopolitical and weather concerns, yet ample supplies are keeping the situation stable for now.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reported that its Food Price Index reached 130.7 points in April 2026. This marked a 2 percent increase from the previous month and the third straight monthly rise, driven mainly by gains in vegetable oils, meat and cereals.
South Africa has seen its own food inflation ease to 3.4 percent in March 2026 from 3.7 percent in February. Chief economist Wandile Sihlobo of the Agricultural Business Chamber of SA noted that current global grain stocks are solid, limiting immediate price spikes.
Record harvests for the 2025-26 season include 845 million tonnes of wheat and 544 million tonnes of rice. These large supplies have kept prices well below the peaks seen after the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Looking ahead, concerns center on the 2026-27 season. Disruptions to fuel and fertiliser from the Middle East conflict, along with El Niño effects, could affect planting that begins later this year in the southern hemisphere.
