Disruption at the Strait of Hormuz: A Growing Threat to Global Food Security

PUKMEDIA

Hormuz Strait.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has issued a stark warning that ongoing disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz are no longer merely an oil crisis, but a rapidly unfolding shock with serious implications for global food systems.

According to FAO chief economist Máximo Torero, the disruption of maritime trade through the narrow Gulf waterway — one of the world’s most important shipping chokepoints — has triggered one of the most severe shocks to global commodity flows seen in recent years. He cautioned that the impact goes well beyond energy markets to affect agricultural production, supply chains and food security worldwide. 

The Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, typically handles about 20 million barrels of oil per day, roughly one‑fifth of the world’s crude trade. It also accommodates significant volumes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fertiliser exports — key inputs for modern agriculture. 

Since late February, military tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel have drastically reduced shipping traffic in the strait. Independent tracking and industry sources suggest that tanker movements have fallen sharply as insurers and shipping companies avoid the region due to heightened risk. 

Torero told reporters the situation has evolved into what he described as a “systematic shock” to agrifood systems. While the global food supply may still be sufficient for now, he stressed that prolonged disruption — lasting three months or more — would significantly increase risks for agricultural decision‑making and supply stability. 

Experts outside the UN have highlighted the particular vulnerability of fertilizer markets. A large share of global fertiliser shipments — including nitrogen, phosphate and sulphur products that are essential for crop yields — originate in or transit through the Gulf region. With shipping flows constrained and insurance premiums high, markets are already seeing rising prices and delivery uncertainty. 

Higher energy and fertiliser costs are expected to feed through into farming costs, potentially influencing planting decisions for staple crops such as wheat, maize and rice. In developing economies that import fertiliser and fuel, the effect could be especially acute. 

Analysts caution that if the crisis continues to hinder maritime traffic, the ripple effects may extend to food prices globally, compounding inflationary pressures already facing many countries. 


PUKMEDIA