The World Food Program is warning of “record levels of hunger” as a quick end to the conflict in the Middle East is not in sight and key transport routes are being squeezed.
The report said that escalating conflicts could push an additional 45 million people into severe hunger, raising the world’s population to 363 million.
“As violence escalates, displacement, rising prices and disrupted food systems are pushing families in the region and beyond closer to starvation,” WFP said on its website Thursday.
Fertilizer is essential for agriculture. According to the United Nations, a quarter of the world’s supplies pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
South Asia is one of the most at-risk regions, with the United Nations expressing concern about future crop yields. WFP also warns that in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa, farmers are unable to process their crops during planting season, risking lower yields and higher food prices in the coming months. “Even small increases in costs can put vulnerable families at risk.”
Robert Walker, a research fellow at the Lowy Institute, said more than half of agricultural fertilizers used across South and Southeast Asia are nitrogen-based, leaving these regions exposed to a shortage of urea, a type of crystallized nitrogen used in most fertilizers.
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, about 35% of the world’s urea supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Although the Chinese government has not officially confirmed this, Reuters reported, citing sources, that China is cracking down on fertilizer exports to protect its domestic market. That would put further strain on global markets already suffering from war-induced shortages.
The escalation of attacks near the strait has brought shipping traffic to a near standstill and pushed oil prices to $115 a barrel on Thursday, raising transportation, energy and insurance costs across global supply chains.
Australian Dairy Advocates president Ben Bennett said there were also concerns for Australian dairy farmers, who import around 90 per cent of their transport fuel.
“Cows cannot be simply switched off and milk cannot be stored indefinitely on the farm. If milk tankers are taken out of service due to unavailability or unaffordability of fuel, farmers face serious consequences for animal health and the environment.”
