A senior UN official warns that Asia and Africa face a food crisis unless Iran and the US quickly agree on a plan to move fertiliser through the Strait of Hormuz before the planting season.
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01Summary
- 01UN Under-Secretary-General Jorge Moreira da Silva said on 14 October 2026 that a deal is needed within weeks as planting season approaches.
- 02The plan, drawn up in March, would create a UN-staffed coordination centre in Oman to register vessels and oversee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
- 03Before the war, roughly a third of global urea shipments and nearly half of seaborne sulphur passed through the strait.
- 04Iran and the US have exchanged proposals through intermediaries since a June interim ceasefire collapsed, but talks have stalled.
- 05If only five vessels per day could pass, fertiliser supplies could be maintained for countries in critical need, Moreira da Silva said.
02Why it matters
Disruption to fertiliser shipments through the Strait of Hormuz threatens agricultural yields in Asia and Africa, which could drive up food prices and worsen hunger. Farmers in South Asia and elsewhere are already facing soaring costs and scarcity.
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