In September, global food prices saw their fastest increase since March 2022, primarily due to a sharp rise in sugar prices caused by adverse weather and fires impacting Brazilian sugarcane crops, as reported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The FAO Food Price Index rose to 124.4 points, a three-percent increase from August, yet remained 22.4 percent below the peak after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Sugar prices surged by 10.4 percent due to poor crop forecasts in Brazil and concerns over Indian export policies. Additionally, vegetable oil prices increased by 4.6 percent, and cereal prices rose by three percent.