Middle East Crisis Amplifies Food Price Pressures Across Asia‑Pacific, WFP Reports

Five months after the outbreak of the Middle East crisis, the World Food Programme’s Asia‑Pacific Regional Office has warned that ongoing disruptions in global fuel and fertilizer supplies, combined with a forecasted strong El Niño, are heightening uncertainty in agricultural production worldwide. As crops enter critical growth stages, the risk of falling consumer price indices has been highlighted by Trading Economics. In the region, Myanmar has seen the sharpest rise in the cost of a basic food basket, up 20% from pre‑crisis levels, while Cambodia and Pakistan are approaching double‑digit increases. Conversely, Tajikistan’s food prices have fallen, aided by a robust seasonal harvest and a favourable USD/TJK exchange rate that has helped keep import costs down. Fiji and Sri Lanka are experiencing notable headline CPI rises, exceeding 6% above pre‑crisis figures; Fiji’s dependence on imports makes it especially vulnerable to global price swings, and Sri Lanka’s high energy costs are spilling over into other sectors. The report underscores how the Middle East conflict is creating a ripple effect that threatens food security and household purchasing power across the Asia‑Pacific region.