UN report says logistics drive unaffordable healthy diets for 2.7 billion people

The United Nations' State of Food Security and Nutrition (SOFI) 2026 report finds that 70‑75% of the final cost of a nutritious diet is added after harvest, making healthy eating unaffordable for about 2.7 billion people worldwide. The study points to inadequate storage, transport and refrigeration as the main cost drivers. Latin America and the Caribbean face the highest prices, averaging $4.91 and $6.04 per day respectively, leaving roughly a quarter of the regional population unable to afford balanced meals. UN officials call for more resilient value chains, greater local consumption of traditional foods and investments in logistics, estimating a potential 34% global saving on diet costs.

Separately, the World Bank warns that four simultaneous risks – El Niño, higher oil and energy prices linked to tensions in Iran, rising demand for biofuels and possible trade restrictions – could push 2026 food‑price forecasts up by at least 2.5%. These pressures compound existing shocks from the COVID‑19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and recent trade disputes, heightening concerns over global food‑price stability.