China’s food prices fell 1.7% year-on-year in September 2026, a sharper decline than the 1.4% drop recorded in August. This marked the sixth consecutive month of contraction and the fastest decline in four months.
Prices decreased further across several categories: fresh fruit (-1.5% vs -0.5% in August), fresh vegetables (-8.1% vs -2.8%), edible oils (-1.1% vs -1.3%), and dairy products (-1.5% vs -1.4%). Pork prices, a key component of China’s food basket, also continued to fall (-10.0% vs -11.8%), reflecting ample supply and persistently weak demand. By contrast, egg prices remained elevated, rising 14.3% year-on-year after a 15.0% increase in the previous month.
