World food prices soar to six-year high: UN.

ROME -- Global food commodity prices rose sharply in November to their highest level in nearly six years, the UN food agency said Thursday, due in part to adverse weather conditions.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)said prices of the most globally traded foodstuffs were up across the board, putting extra pressure in particular on 45 countries that need outside help feeding their populations.

The FAO Food Price Index averaged 105 points during the month, up 3.9 percent from October and 6.5 percent from a year earlier.

"The monthly increase was the sharpest since July 2012, putting the index at its highest level since December 2014," the Rome-based agency said.

The biggest rise was in the vegetable oil price index, which jumped 14.5 percent because of low palm oil stocks.

The cereal price index rose 2.5 percent from October - - making it nearly 20 percent higher than a year ago.

Wheat export prices were...