Food prices across the world have risen to their highest levels in a decade on the back of tightening supply conditions robust demand, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The FAO’s food price index, which measures world food commodity prices, has surged by 32.8 percent in the 12 months through September, coming in at a reading of 130 points, a level not seen since 2011. On a month-over-month basis, the index rose 1.2 percent. Accounting for the bulk of the rise in the index were higher prices of most cereals and vegetable oils. The FAO vegetable oil price index was up 60 percent in September compared to a year earlier, and 1.7 percent up from August. The cereal price measure was up 27.3 percent over the year last month, and 2 percent from August. Dairy and sugar prices also rose in September by an …