Two months into the Iran war, surging global energy and fertilizer costs have prompted international agencies to warn of a looming global food crisis. The severity of the fallout largely hinges on the duration of shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint closed by Iran that normally handles a third of the world’s seaborne fertilizer and a quarter of its oil. Although current global food prices have only risen modestly, the World Food Programme warns that nearly 45 million more people could face acute food shortages if the conflict persists. Economists project that lower-income households in Africa and Asia will be impacted the most as rising transport and agricultural costs inevitably filter down to retail food markets.
Date: April 21, 2026. Source: Al Jazeera