The Food Importers Syndicate, headed by Hani Bohsali, noted that “The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced that global food prices rose in September to their highest level in about four years, driven by an increase in the prices of sugar by 6.1% within a month, grains by 5.1%, and vegetable oils by 0.9%.” Bohsali reassured that “the fluctuations witnessed in global food commodity prices, which range between 3, 5 and 6%, are normal and do not necessarily reflect the existence of a global food crisis.” He explained that "the prices of basic commodities do not remain constant, but are constantly affected by factors of supply and demand, agricultural seasons, and quantities available in the markets," noting that "price increases of rates ranging between 3 and 5% can occur even in normal conditions." He pointed out that "the limited increases, including the rise in vegetable oil prices by less than 1%, cannot be considered, in and of themselves, an indication of the emergence of a new crisis, as basic commodity prices, by their nature, witness continuous fluctuations up and down." Regarding the path of food commodity prices during the next stage, Bohsali identified “two basic factors that will influence the direction of prices during the coming months and next year.” The first factor is represented by climate developments, especially the “El Niño” phenomenon expected during the period 2026-2027, which, according to the expectations he referred to, may be one of the historically strong phenomena, which may be reflected in global agricultural production, and thus on the prices of crops and foodstuffs. The second factor is related to geopolitical developments in the Strait of Hormuz region and their potential repercussions on fertilizer production and its costs.” Bohsali considered that, "These two factors do not allow, at the current stage, to expect a decline in food prices in the coming months, but rather enhance the possibilities of continued upward pressure on them."