Food Price Monitoring and Analysis (FPMA) Bulletin #7, 11 September 2025

Global maize and wheat prices exhibited divergent trends in August 2025 depending on origin. In the United States of America, strong harvest prospects pushed prices down, while in the European Union and the Russian Federation, harvest delays and quality concerns drove wheat quotations higher. By contrast, international rice prices declined, reflecting continued intense competition among exporters. In most domestic markets monitored by FAO, conflicts, currency fluctuations and extreme weather events remain the main drivers of year-on-year increases in staple food prices. In the Near East, wheat flour prices were higher year-on-year, particularly in countries that have recently phased out key government subsidies. In Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, strong domestic demand kept prices elevated, with conflict-related logistical disruptions persisting as a major factor in Ukraine. In East Africa, coarse grain prices were generally higher on a yearly basis, with sharp surges recorded in parts of the Sudan following the recent escalation in conflict. By contrast, ample supplies from strong harvests exerted downward pressure on rice prices in Far East Asia and maize prices across Southern Africa and South America. In West Africa, above-average 2024 harvests and government measures to safeguard domestic supply levels drove prices down.