The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday, June 25, edition that food prices have surged faster than other prices in the past decade, with a 4.3-per-cent increase in store-bought food compared with 3.1 per cent for non-food items. The Globe's guest columnist Christina Caron writes that leading meteorological organizations agree that this year's Super El Nino is likely to be very strong, lasting until spring 2027. It will cause hotter temperatures worldwide and increase the risk of drought, storms, extreme rainfall, flooding and heatwaves. At present, one quarter of Canada and half of the U.S. are experiencing either drought or abnormal dryness. El Nino is expected to have major implications for agricultural production worldwide, mirroring the impact of previous El Nino events that were accompanied by failed harvests and livestock losses. The UN's Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) points to a high probability of drought across major producing regions during key growing periods. El Nino is a global phenomenon that impacts the prices of both imported and domestically produced food. In Canada, around 50 per cent of vegetables and 75 per cent of fruits are imported, with half coming from the U.S., mainly California.