UN warns that stalled Hormuz fertilizer deal could spark Asian and African food crisis

In March, the United Nations created a taskforce to facilitate the flow of fertilizers through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, yet the plan has not been put into operation. Under-Secretary-General Jorge Moreira da Silva told reporters in Bangkok that the scheme could be activated within a week to ten days once Washington and Tehran reach a deal, stressing that any further delay would miss the critical planting season.

He warned that continued disruption could lift cereal prices by up to 81%, oil-crop prices by 66% and animal-product prices by 30%, according to an International Chamber of Commerce report. The UN-backed operation would use an Omani coordination centre to register vessels and allow only five ships per day, with monitors checking cargoes and tracking ships in transit. Ongoing negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme and Tehran’s conditions have stalled progress, while additional maritime threats in the Black Sea and Red Sea compound global food-security concerns.