Food prices feel the heat as war in the Middle East rattles commodity markets Dawit MekonnenKaltrina Temaj May 22, 2026 This page in: English © 2026 World Bank Group,

https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/opendata/food-prices-feel-the-heat-as-war-in-the-middle-east-rattles-comm This blog post is part of a special series based on the April 2026 Commodity Markets Outlook, a flagship report published by the World Bank Group. This series features concise summaries of commodity-specific sections extracted from the report. Explore the full report here. Global food prices rose to their highest level since January 2024 in April 2026, following the near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz after the Middle East conflict erupted in late February. Over the two months after the conflict began, food prices rose 5 percent compared to the prior two months, driven primarily by oils and meals, which surged 10 percent due to higher crude oil prices and expanded biofuel mandates. Grain prices rose more modestly by 3 percent. Year-to-date through April, food prices are 2 percent above their level a year earlier. © 2026 World Bank Group,