Rice prices in Asia rise about 20% in May, marking the biggest monthly increase in nearly two decades, according to market reporting cited by Bloomberg and Free Malaysia Today. Multiple factors are driving the move, with traders and farmers pointing to heightened risks to production from both weather conditions and regional conflict. Both sources link the outlook to war-related disruptions that affect key farming inputs, including energy and fertilizer. Free Malaysia Today also highlights ongoing disruptions to fuel and fertilizer supplies tied to the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which can raise logistics and input costs for agriculture. Together, the reporting says the combination of higher costs for fuel and fertilizer and uncertainty around weather are making farmers and markets expect potential pressure on supply. Bloomberg adds that prices could climb further if weather risks and war-driven surges in energy and fertilizer costs persist. No longer-term production estimates are provided in the excerpts, but the sources broadly agree that May’s spike reflects escalating cost and supply-risk concerns rather than a single event.