El Niño expected to drive up the cost of coffee and some other foods
(Gray News) - Economists expect some food costs could go up soon due to the near-record-strong super El Niño still strengthening in the Pacific Ocean.
El Niño is forecast to peak this fall and winter.
It’s expected to combine with pre-existing global supply chain pressures to drive up prices on tropical products. That includes things like coffee, chocolate, some fruits and nuts and palm oil.
According to Reuters, El Niño typically brings droughts in regions such as Southeast Asia, Australia and southern Africa and heavy rainfall in other parts of the world like the southern parts of South America and the United States. These conditions can impact various crops that grow in those areas, such as coffee beans and cacao.
El Niño comes at an already challenging time for food prices, given supply chain pressures from geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and Black Sea.
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