Middle East conflicts disrupt agricultural production, causing global food prices to rise for the third consecutive month

```htmlGolden Ten Data reported on May 9 that data released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on the 8th shows the FAO Food Price Index rose for the third consecutive month in April, affected by rising energy costs and logistical disruptions due to conflict in the Middle East. The data shows that the FAO Food Price Index in April reached 130.7 points, up 1.6% from the revised level in March and up 2.0% compared to a year ago. Among them, the Cereal Price Index increased by 0.8% month-on-month and 0.4% year-on-year. FAO analysis indicates that, influenced by conflict in the Middle East, farmers are turning to crops that require less fertilizer, resulting in a decrease in wheat planting area by 2026, further pushing up wheat prices. This month, FAO slightly lowered its global wheat production forecast for 2026, estimating that production this year will decrease by about 2% compared to last year.```