The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has issued a stark warning that a prolonged blockage of the Strait of Hormuz risks triggering a global food catastrophe. The strait is not only a critical corridor for oil and LNG — it is also a key route for fertilizer exports from Gulf producers, whose disruption would ripple through agricultural supply chains worldwide.
Fertilizer prices have already begun climbing in response to shipping uncertainty, adding pressure to food costs that remain elevated following years of supply shocks. Countries in South Asia, East Africa, and parts of Latin America — which rely heavily on Gulf-sourced ammonia and urea — face the most acute exposure. Any sustained shortage of agricultural inputs would hit crop yields in the next planting season.
TankerMap data covering the Hormuz corridor shows a marked reduction in bulk carrier and tanker transits since the conflict escalated. With 155 ports tracked globally and vessel movements now constrained across the Arabian Sea, the ripple effects extend far beyond energy markets. The FAO urged immediate international diplomatic efforts to secure waterway access and prevent the energy crisis from morphing into a food emergency.