The UN predicts a rise in food prices in the world due to the war in Ukraine

The UN claims that the world is waiting for a rise in the price of food. The main reason is the war in Ukraine. This is reported by the Voice of America with reference to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

They note that the food price index from February to March rose by a record 12.6%.

Recently, the prices of basic foodstuffs such as wheat and vegetable oils have risen sharply, creating extraordinary costs for global consumers, especially the poorest, said FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu.

He recalled that Ukraine and Russia account for about a third of world wheat exports, 20% of corn and about 80% of sunflower oil exports.

According to him, the impact of the war "will be experienced almost all over the world."

He also drew attention to the fact that there is an upward trend in prices for fertilizers.

This could lead to less fertilizer use and lower yields, Dunyu said.

In turn, the director of the FAO trade and markets department, Bubeker Ben Belhassen, said that prices for cereals, vegetable oils and meat had reached historical highs. The prices of sugar and dairy products also rose significantly.

The index has risen steadily throughout 2021, in part due to the impact of the COVID pandemic, he said. And the war in Ukraine aggravated the situation even more and stirred up the market.

According to the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages rose by 6.2% in the consumer market in March. Most of all (by 21.3% and 15.5%) rose in price fruits and vegetables. Prices for rice, cereal products, sugar, lard, sunflower oil, fish and fish products, pasta, butter, milk, cheese and eggs, soft drinks, meat and other products increased by 9.8-3.5%.

Clothes and footwear went up by 13%, incl. clothing - by 13.3%, footwear - by 12.5%.

The increase in prices (tariffs) by 0.5% for housing, water, electricity, gas and other types of fuel was mainly due to an increase in prices for rental housing by 4.0%, maintenance and repair of housing - by 2.2%.

Prices in the healthcare sector rose by 5.6%, primarily due to an increase in the cost of pharmaceutical products by 8.1%.

The increase in transport prices by 4.2% was mainly due to a 7.7% increase in fuel and oil prices.