FT: Middle East conflict threatens global food security

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East could trigger a worldwide food crisis due to disrupted fertiliser supplies, according to the Financial Times.

Experts warn that the war in the Middle East could lead to a global food crisis. Fertiliser shortages threaten food production across multiple continents, the report states.

The newspaper notes that the escalation has disrupted urea shipments—the world’s most widely used nitrogen fertiliser. Of the total 2.1 million tons, roughly half have not reached the market. Analytical firm Kpler reports that more than 1.1 million tons of fertiliser are now stranded in the Persian Gulf.

Nitrogen fertilisers, which support about half of global food production, are made from ammonia using natural gas, the cost of which has surged sharply since the start of the Middle East conflict, the Financial Times adds.

The Middle East plays a central role in global fertiliser and energy supply chains. Around one-third of global urea exports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which was previously blocked by Iran. Gas shortages have forced fertiliser plants in several Asian countries to halt production. Since the conflict began, urea prices have risen by more than 40%.

By Jeyhun Aghazada