The International Fertilizer Association (IFA) has issued a press release highlighting that the conflict in the Middle East has once again brought the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important maritime strategic points for energy and raw material trade, into sharp focus. While attention has been primarily on oil and gas, disruptions in this strait are also affecting the global supply of fertilizers, a fundamental pillar of agriculture. The IFA notes that:

- Mineral fertilizers are essential for feeding the world. It is estimated that approximately half of the world's population depends on crops produced with mineral fertilizers.

- When the supply of fertilizers is interrupted, the consequences are felt directly on farms and, consequently, on the global availability of food.

- The Middle East plays a crucial role in the global fertilizer trade, supplying about 30 percent of exports of major fertilizers.

- According to IFA statistics, in 2024 Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain together accounted for 23 percent of the world ammonia trade, 34 percent of the urea trade and 18 percent of the ammonium phosphate trade.

- In 2024, approximately 18.5 million tons of urea were exported through the Strait of Hormuz.

- Approximately half of the world's sulfur trade, a key raw material in the production of phosphate fertilizers, also follows the same route.

- The volatility of energy prices directly affects the production costs of fertilizers, especially in regions with higher costs, such as Europe.

IFA warns that if disruptions to energy and fertilizer trade routes persist, the impact will be felt especially in countries that depend most on imported fertilizers, and cautions that maintaining stable fertilizer supply routes is crucial for global food security.



Link to the IFA press release: https://www.fertilizer.org/news/protect-fertilizer-supply-chains-to-safeguard-global-food-security/