Food inflation in Moldova and the world in 2026
Food prices remain one of the most persistent pressures on households around the world. In 2026, food costs are projected to rise sharply in some countries while remaining relatively stable in others.
According to new projections FAO, food price inflation will vary significantly across 160 countries in 2026, ranging from double-digit hikes in some countries to outright price declines in others.
Today, inflationary pressures remain strongest in developing countries and countries with high import dependence, FAO experts say.
Food inflation is affected by currency fluctuations, commodity prices, trade disruptions and domestic supply conditions. Countries experiencing currency devaluation or ongoing economic instability tend to experience steeper increases in food prices.
Of particular interest for Moldova are the forecasts of food inflation in the states of the region, with which our country actively trades.
In this context, Turkey attracts attention, where the price of agricultural products is expected to rise by 25,1%. This cannot but upset those Moldovan citizens who prefer to vacation in this country on the all-inclusive system – prices in hotels will undoubtedly increase.
Romania is expected to grow by 7.4%, Ukraine – by 9.2%. Perhaps because of this, imports of products from these key countries for Moldova will decrease, which will give opportunities for growth to domestic producers.
Although the projected global average is 3.2%, the regional analysis shows significant differences in the expected food price dynamics in 2026.
While global food price inflation is expected to fall to single digits in 2026, the regional picture is much more heterogeneous. For millions of households in high-inflation countries, food costs may remain one of the most persistent economic pressures in the coming year, FAO analysts conclude.
Food price increases in Moldova peaked between 2022 and 2023, with rates hovering above 30%. The highest rate of 34.62% was registered in October 2022.
In 2025, food prices in Moldova increased by 5.6%. In January 2026, the increase continued to 6.2%.
