Due to disruptions in fertilizer shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, an estimated 45 million people in developing countries may face food shortages. The announcement was made on September 26 by Jorge Moreira da Silva, Director of the UN Office for Project Services, who previously led the UN task force on humanitarian transportation via the strait.
Silva noted that at least five or seven fertilizer ships per day must transit the Strait of Hormuz to prevent a humanitarian crisis. “For developing countries, this will be a decisive factor,” Silva stated. “They will either ensure food security or face a humanitarian catastrophe.”
Silva emphasized that the U.S.-Iran conflict should not serve as justification for halting humanitarian aid shipments. The UN reports one-third of global fertilizer trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making urgent resolution of supply issues imperative without linkage to geopolitical disputes. Global food prices are rising amid escalating conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
