India, April 6 -- World rice output is projected to expand by 2.0 per cent, driven by Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, and Indonesia, to reach a record 563.3 million tonnes

World food commodity prices rose in March for the second month in a row, due largely to higher energy prices linked to the conflict escalation in the Near East, according to the latest benchmark measure released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of a basket of globally-traded food commodities, averaged 128.5 points in March, up 2.4 per cent from February and 1.0 per cent above its level a year ago.

The FAO Cereal Price Index increased by 1.5 per ce...