Fertilizer shipments blocked in Strait of Hormuz, United Nations warns of food crisis in Asia and Africa

Since the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran on February 28, Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz in an attempt to put pressure on the United States, and the United States has also imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. Jorge Moreira da Silva, executive director of the United Nations Office of Special Operations Services (UNOPS), said on the 14th that if the United States and Iran fail to reach an agreement within a few weeks on a United Nations-backed plan to transport fertilizers through the Strait of Hormuz, parts of Asia and Africa may face a food security crisis.

According to Reuters, before the outbreak of the US-Iran conflict, about one-third of the world's urea exports and nearly half of the world's seaborne sulfur were transported through the Strait of Hormuz. Urea is the most widely used fertilizer in the world, and sulfur is also an important raw material for fertilizer production.

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The United Nations established a task force in March to help fertilizers pass through the Strait of Hormuz, but the operating mechanism developed by the group has not yet been implemented. Da Silva said in an interview in Bangkok on the 14th that once the United States and Iran reach an agreement, the mechanism can be activated within 7 to 10 days at the earliest.

"It is absolutely crucial that we reach an agreement in the next few weeks, otherwise we will miss the planting season. If we miss the planting season, agricultural productivity will drop significantly and crop prices will be affected," Da Silva said.

Da Silva pointed out that even if only five ships pass through the Strait of Hormuz every day, it will be enough to continue to transport fertilizers to countries in urgent need of fertilizers. Da Silva added that ships would be tracked during their transit. Authorities can also conduct additional inspections if a country raises concerns about a particular ship or its cargo.

The Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute pointed out in a report in September that it has been more than six months since the outbreak of the US-Iran conflict, and fertilizer shipments from the Persian Gulf region are still largely at a standstill.

A report also released by the International Chamber of Commerce in August stated that if transportation in the Strait of Hormuz continues to be disrupted, commodity prices may rise. Among them, grain prices may rise by up to 81%, oil crop prices may rise by 66%, and livestock product prices may rise by 30%.