World food prices have been rising for the fifth month in a row, the main reason for this is the rising prices for cheese and corn due to bad weather.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reports that the food price index, monthly tracking global price changes for commonly traded food products, in May amounted to 172.4 points, an increase of 1.2% from last month, and still by 1 , 9% less than its level in May last year.

Since April, the dairy index rose 5.2%, approaching a five-year high. The increase in prices, mainly for cheese, reflected high demand for imports amid limited exports from arid Oceania.

The cereal price index rose 1.4%, which is entirely due to a sudden increase in corn prices in response to a reduction in the prospects for its cultivation in the United States, where sowing of crops is the slowest due to floods and rains. Wheat prices generally declined, while rice prices were unchanged.

The sugar index for the month fell by 3.2%, because prospects for increased production in India, the world's largest producer, outweighed the 17% annual decline in production in Brazil. Weak global energy prices, which reduce the demand for sugarcane - raw materials for biofuels, also negatively affected the price of a sweet product.

The vegetable oil price index fell 1.1%, the reason is that due to the large level of stocks in the leading exporting countries, there has been a decrease in the cost of palm oil. Soybean, sunflower and rapeseed oil prices rose little.

The meat index in May rose slightly, this was due to the fact that pork prices continued to rise amid high demand for imports from East Asia, where African swine fever reduced production. Beef prices fell from April highs, which is reflected in an increase in world exports.