FAO warns Hormuz blockade could trigger global food crisis within 12 months

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned that the continued blockage of the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a global food price crisis within the next six to 12 months, citing disruptions to energy, fertiliser and agricultural supply chains.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Rome-based agency said the closure of the strategic shipping route was no longer a temporary transport disruption but the beginning of a broader global agrifood shock.

The FAO said the Strait of Hormuz previously handled around one-fifth of global oil shipments before the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran, prompting Tehran to effectively shut the route to tanker and cargo traffic.

The agency also noted that nearly one-third of global fertiliser supplies passed through the strait before the conflict, raising concerns over shortages during the ongoing summer crop season.

According to the FAO, the disruption could unfold in stages through higher energy costs, fertiliser shortages, reduced crop yields, rising commodity prices and eventual food inflation.

The agency said its global food price index had already increased for three consecutive months since the conflict began.

FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero urged countries to strengthen resilience against prolonged supply disruptions and focus on alternative transport routes.

The organisation called for greater use of alternative land and sea corridors, including routes across the Arabian Peninsula towards the Red Sea.

The FAO also urged governments to avoid imposing export restrictions on energy and fertilisers and recommended exempting food aid shipments from trade curbs.