The Strait of Hormuz blockade is causing a slow-moving food crisis

A presumption of the vessels passing done Strait of Hormuz pursuing the two-week impermanent ceasefire reached betwixt the United States and Iran, seen successful Oman connected April 8, 2026. | Shady Alassar/Anadolu via Getty Images

Farmers are precise engaged successful the spring, nether unit to get crops into the crushed conscionable arsenic the Northern Hemisphere begins to thaw. But this twelvemonth has been antithetic for many, acknowledgment successful ample portion to the escalating warfare successful Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz is simply a constrictive channel, astir 30 miles wide astatine its tightest point, betwixt the Omani Musandam Peninsula and Iran. Roughly fractional of fertilizer feedstock exports - the assorted earthy materials utilized to marque fertilizer similar urea, ammonia, sulfur, hydrogen, earthy gas, and nitrogen - travel done the Strait. And astir about fractional of the world's nutrient accumulation re …

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