Strait of Hormuz closure, FAO warns of fertilizer scarcity and calendar for new planting season
Key takeaways
- He spoke at the Ministerial Meeting of the MED9++ Countries on Supporting Food Security and Access to Fertilizers co-chaired by FAO, Italy and Croatia.
- We meet at a moment of profound strain, the Director-General said.
- Qu highlighted the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, which under normal conditions carries substantial shares of globally traded oil, liquefied natural gas, sulfur and fertilizers.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, warned that the global fertilizer scarcity caused by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz will lead to lower yields and tightening food supplies in the latter half of 2026 and into 2027.
He spoke at the Ministerial Meeting of the MED9++ Countries on Supporting Food Security and Access to Fertilizers co-chaired by FAO, Italy and Croatia.
Addressing ministers and senior representatives gathered in Rome, the Director-General stressed that the current crisis extends far beyond geopolitics, increasingly affecting food production, trade, agricultural inputs and access to food worldwide.