"The waterway's near-total shipping blockade is a food security timebomb, the head of the International Rescue Committee, David Miliband, said this week, adding: The window to avert a massive global hunger crisis is rapidly closing."
"Fertilisers are the No 1 issue of concern today, according to the World Trade Organization, while the UN World Food Programme says the total number of people facing acute levels of hunger could hit record numbers this year if the destabilising conflict continues."
"The Gulf is also home to some of the world's largest fertiliser factory sites and international organisations are sounding the alarm that a prolonged transport shutdown could disrupt production and increase costs."
"The Middle East is also the source of about 45% of the global trade in sulphur, a key raw material for fertiliser manufacture, as well as for producing various metals and industrial chemicals."
The Strait of Hormuz is essential for global fertilizer trade, with one-third of raw materials passing through it. The blockade poses a significant risk to food security, as highlighted by David Miliband. Fertilizer production in the Gulf is vital, with major exporters like Iran and Saudi Arabia. A prolonged transport shutdown could disrupt production and increase costs, leading to record levels of hunger. The region supplies 45% of global sulphur trade, critical for fertilizer and industrial chemicals.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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