Vegetable oil prices rose 1.4% in August to their highest level in more than three years. The meat price index increased 0.6% to a record high, led by strong demand for beef in the United States and China. Ovine meat prices rose, pig meat was steady and poultry prices fell on abundant supplies from Brazil. In a separate report, the FAO forecast record global cereal production of 2.961 billion tonnes in 2025, up from 2.925 billion previously. Maize output forecasts increased in the United States, Brazil and Mexico, driven by record yields and an expanded planted area.