Hormuz Handles 30% of Global Fertiliser Trade, FAO Council Head Says

Around 30% of global fertiliser trade passes through the Strait of Hormuz, exposing agricultural supply chains to geopolitical risks in the crisis, the head of the executive council of the Food and Agriculture Organization said.

Mina Rizk said the current crisis amounted to a major geopolitical shock with potential spillovers across energy markets, fertiliser supplies and global food systems.

Speaking in a televised interview, Rizk said the strategic waterway also carries about a quarter of global seaborne oil trade, making it a critical artery for the world economy.

The situation has prompted the FAO’s executive council to hold an extraordinary session, he said, breaking from its usual schedule of pre-arranged meetings.

The session was convened following a formal request backed by more than 60 countries to discuss the implications of the crisis for global food security.

The Strait of Hormuz has come into sharper focus amid heightened regional tensions, with any disruption expected to have knock-on effects on energy and agricultural markets worldwide.