Warconomy
Commodities · history

Food price history

How food-price indices (FAO) and commodity price levels for crude oil, natural gas, wheat, maize, rice and fertilizers (World Bank) have moved monthly over decades, with reference markers around major conflict periods. Machine-read from the official free FAO and World Bank data; source-reported and associative, not a causal attribution. Not investment advice.

Movement around events — not sole causationThese charts show how prices moved around major conflict periods. Many factors move food prices (weather, energy, currencies, demand); the reference markers are context, not a claim that any single event was the cause. Source-reported FAO index values, monthly and subject to revision. Not investment advice.

This page charts two free, official commodity datasets over decades, with reference markers around dated conflict events Warconomy already tracks. The FAO Food Price Index (and its five sub-indices, basis 2014-2016 = 100, 1990-01–2026-05) shows international food-price movement; the World Bank "Pink Sheet" adds nominal-US$ price levels for crude oil, natural gas, wheat, maize, rice, and fertilizers (1960-01–2024-12). Both are machine-read from official files — no API keys, no paid APIs, nothing invented. Indices and price levels are never mixed on one axis. It is source-reported and associative: prices move for many reasons, and nothing here attributes a move to a single event. Not real-time and not investment advice.

  • FAO: headline index + 5 sub-indices, monthly, 1990-01–2026-05 (basis 2014-2016 = 100).
  • World Bank: 9 commodity price levels (oil, gas, grains, fertilizer), nominal US$, 1960-01–2024-12.
  • Machine-read from official free files (no API key, no paid API); event markers are associative, never causal.
  • Machine-readable at /commodities/history/data.json.

Reference events on these charts

  • February 24, 2022 — Full-scale invasion begins. Shown as a reference marker — prices moved around this period for many reasons; this is not a claim the event was the sole cause.
  • December 1, 2023 — Onset of sustained Red Sea diversions. Shown as a reference marker — prices moved around this period for many reasons; this is not a claim the event was the sole cause.

How to read these charts

  • Two kinds of data, never mixed on one axis: FAO indices (unitless, basis 2014-2016=100) and World Bank price levels (nominal US$ per barrel / mmbtu / tonne).
  • Each chart states its unit, source, and as-of date; the text summary repeats the key numbers for screen readers.
  • Dashed lines are reference events — prices moved around those periods for many reasons; this is not a causal claim.

Food price indices (FAO)

Unitless index, basis 2014-2016 = 100. 1990-01–2026-05.

Food Price Index

The headline index — a trade-weighted average of the five food-commodity groups below.

Food Price Index · index (2014-2016 = 100) · January 1, 1990–May 1, 2026. Latest 130.8 (2026-05); range 50.8 (2002-05)–160.2 (2022-03). Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), as of June 10, 2026. Dashed lines mark reference events (associative, not causal).

Latest 130.8 (2026-05) · +2.9% year-on-year · range 50.8–160.2.

Cereals

Wheat, maize, rice and other cereals.

Cereals · index (2014-2016 = 100) · January 1, 1990–May 1, 2026. Latest 114.3 (2026-05); range 48.6 (2000-08)–173.5 (2022-05). Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), as of June 10, 2026. Dashed lines mark reference events (associative, not causal).

Latest 114.3 (2026-05) · +4.9% year-on-year · range 48.6–173.5.

Vegetable Oils

Palm, soy, sunflower and other vegetable oils.

Vegetable Oils · index (2014-2016 = 100) · January 1, 1990–May 1, 2026. Latest 185 (2026-05); range 35.83 (2001-02)–251.8 (2022-03). Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), as of June 10, 2026. Dashed lines mark reference events (associative, not causal).

Latest 185 (2026-05) · +21.6% year-on-year · range 35.83–251.8.

Sugar

World sugar prices.

Sugar · index (2014-2016 = 100) · January 1, 1990–May 1, 2026. Latest 95.1 (2026-05); range 31.8 (2000-03)–183.2 (2011-01). Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), as of June 10, 2026. Dashed lines mark reference events (associative, not causal).

Latest 95.1 (2026-05) · -13.1% year-on-year · range 31.8–183.2.

Meat

Bovine, poultry, pig and ovine meat.

Meat · index (2014-2016 = 100) · January 1, 1990–May 1, 2026. Latest 130.5 (2026-05); range 52.3 (2002-12)–130.5 (2026-05). Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), as of June 10, 2026. Dashed lines mark reference events (associative, not causal).

Latest 130.5 (2026-05) · +6.3% year-on-year · range 52.3–130.5.

Dairy

Butter, cheese, and milk powders.

Dairy · index (2014-2016 = 100) · January 1, 1990–May 1, 2026. Latest 119.2 (2026-05); range 36.8 (1990-08)–158.2 (2022-06). Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), as of June 10, 2026. Dashed lines mark reference events (associative, not causal).

Latest 119.2 (2026-05) · -22.4% year-on-year · range 36.8–158.2.

Commodity price levels (World Bank)

Nominal US$, monthly, from the official World Bank “Pink Sheet” (1960-01–2024-12; workbook updated January 03, 2025). Units differ by commodity — read each chart’s label.

Energy

Crude oil — Brent ($/bbl)

Crude oil — Brent · $/bbl · January 1, 1960–December 1, 2024. Latest 73.833 (2024-12); range 1.21 (1970-01)–133.873 (2008-07). Source: World Bank, as of June 10, 2026. Dashed lines mark reference events (associative, not causal).

Crude oil — WTI ($/bbl)

Crude oil — WTI · $/bbl · January 1, 1982–December 1, 2024. Latest 69.79 (2024-12); range 11.31 (1998-12)–133.9271 (2008-06). Source: World Bank, as of June 10, 2026. Dashed lines mark reference events (associative, not causal).

Natural gas — US (Henry Hub) ($/mmbtu)

Natural gas — US (Henry Hub) · $/mmbtu · January 1, 1960–December 1, 2024. Latest 3.0229 (2024-12); range 0.14 (1960-01)–13.5226 (2005-10). Source: World Bank, as of June 10, 2026. Dashed lines mark reference events (associative, not causal).

Natural gas — Europe ($/mmbtu)

Natural gas — Europe · $/mmbtu · January 1, 1960–December 1, 2024. Latest 13.8566 (2024-12); range 0.3841 (1964-01)–70.0436 (2022-08). Source: World Bank, as of June 10, 2026. Dashed lines mark reference events (associative, not causal).

Grains

Wheat — US HRW ($/mt)

Wheat — US HRW · $/mt · January 1, 1960–December 1, 2024. Latest 252.17 (2024-12); range 52.18 (1969-10)–522.29 (2022-05). Source: World Bank, as of June 10, 2026. Dashed lines mark reference events (associative, not causal).

Maize (corn) ($/mt)

Maize (corn) · $/mt · January 1, 1960–December 1, 2024. Latest 202.5976 (2024-12); range 38 (1960-11)–348.1667 (2022-04). Source: World Bank, as of June 10, 2026. Dashed lines mark reference events (associative, not causal).

Rice — Thai 5% ($/mt)

Rice — Thai 5% · $/mt · January 1, 1960–December 1, 2024. Latest 527 (2024-12); range 95.67 (1971-04)–907 (2008-04). Source: World Bank, as of June 10, 2026. Dashed lines mark reference events (associative, not causal).

Fertilizer

Fertilizer — DAP ($/mt)

Fertilizer — DAP · $/mt · January 1, 1967–December 1, 2024. Latest 568.33 (2024-12); range 54 (1970-01)–1075.75 (2008-07). Source: World Bank, as of June 10, 2026. Dashed lines mark reference events (associative, not causal).

Fertilizer — Urea ($/mt)

Fertilizer — Urea · $/mt · January 1, 1960–December 1, 2024. Latest 352 (2024-12); range 16 (1971-01)–925 (2022-04). Source: World Bank, as of June 10, 2026. Dashed lines mark reference events (associative, not causal).

What this can and cannot tell you

  • Can: show how international food-commodity prices moved month to month, including around tracked conflict periods.
  • Cannot: prove a specific event caused a price move — prices respond to weather, energy, currencies, trade policy, and demand together.
  • Cannot: serve as real-time or investment data — values are monthly, source-reported, and revised by FAO.

Source & methodology

Data: FAO Food Price Index (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)), machine-read from the official CSV on June 10, 2026. See the commodity-prices methodology, the source registry, and the food-prices economic-impact page.

Download: /commodities/history/data.json · commodities dashboard · dataset.