FAO warns Hormuz blockade could curb global food output through 2027

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, a sustained blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would depress global food production and availability in the second half of 2026 and throughout 2027. Oleg Kobiakov, who heads the FAO’s liaison office with the Russian Federation, noted that agricultural cycles cannot be shifted, so a delay of only a few weeks could compel farmers to reduce or forgo fertilizer use, cutting yields regardless of later weather conditions.

The FAO’s analysis predicts that these intertwined shocks will push food prices higher and exacerbate hunger in areas already suffering prolonged or acute food emergencies. The shipping slowdown stems from renewed hostilities after the United States and Israel resumed strikes on Iranian targets in February, a brief cease-fire signed in June, and subsequent renewed exchanges. The strait, a vital conduit for oil, petroleum products and liquefied natural gas, has seen traffic near-standstill, already inflating fuel costs worldwide. The organization warns that the combined impact on energy and agriculture could strain food security across multiple continents.