FAO cereal price index up in December

The FAO Cereal Price Index averaged 107.3 points in December, up 1.8 points (1.7%) from November.

Renewed concerns over Black Sea export flows lent support to international wheat prices; however, markets remained pressured down by ample supplies, with confirmation of large crops in Argentina and Australia reinforcing the downward trend.

By contrast, world maize markets were boosted by robust export demand and strong domestic ethanol production in both Brazil and the United States of America, while sorghum prices rose in tandem with maize despite a slow pace of sales to China, the world’s major importer of sorghum.

The FAO All Rice Price Index rose by 4.3%, as prices increased across all rice market segments due to a combination of reduced harvest pressure, improved demand, and supportive policy measures.

For the whole of 2025, the FAO Cereal Price Index stood at 107.9 points, down 5.6 points (4.9%) from 2024 and marking the lowest annual average since 2020. The FAO All Rice Price Index averaged 103.5 points in 2025, down 35.2% from 2024, reflecting downward pressure on rice quotations from ample exportable availabilities, intense competition among exporters, and reduced purchases by some importing countries in Asia.