A third of the world's fertilisers normally pass through the Strait of Hormuz and the World Trade Organization (WTO) has warned that the blockade there threatens global food security, particularly in Africa and South Asia.
Jose Andres emphasizes the urgency of addressing the fertilizer supply crisis, stating, 'When fertilizers don't arrive in time for key planting windows, yields can fall in the following harvest cycle.' He highlights the severe consequences for poorer countries, noting, 'In places like Haiti, they don't serve you a kilo of rice, they serve you one ounce at a time.'
While the United States is not a major importer of actual food from the Middle East, rising oil prices and a shutdown of natural gas production could have effects on the cost of shipping and producing food that will force Americans to tighten their grocery budgets. Crude oil prices surged on Monday and were up again on Tuesday, seeing more than a 10% jump from last week.