A senior United Nations official has cautioned that large parts of Asia and Africa may face a food security emergency if Iran and the United States do not swiftly back a UN-supported arrangement for moving fertiliser through the Strait of Hormuz.
Under-Secretary-General Jorge Moreira da Silva said on Wednesday that it was “absolutely critical” for both countries to accept the proposal within weeks, as the planting season approaches. The plan calls for a UN-staffed coordination centre in Oman that would register vessels and oversee their safe passage through the waterway, which has traditionally carried a large share of key global fertiliser inputs.
Why the planting season deadline matters for farmers
Moreira da Silva warned that missing the planting window would significantly reduce agricultural productivity and sharply raise prices. Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Bangkok, Thailand, he said, “If we miss that planting season, the productivity of agriculture would significantly drop.”
Farmers work to strict crop calendars, so even brief delays could seriously damage harvests, according to the official.
Disruption to urea and sulphur shipments in the strait
Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted since the US-Israel war on Iran began. Iran has targeted vessels in the strait, while the United States and Iran have exchanged fire in and around the waterway.
The disruption has reduced global supplies of urea, the most widely used nitrogen fertiliser in the world, along with seaborne sulphur, an important input. Before the war, roughly a third of global urea shipments and nearly half of seaborne sulphur moved through the strait.
Some vessels have still managed to pass through during the crisis. However, the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute says fertiliser products account for a “very negligible” share of the cargo moving through the waterway.
How the UN mechanism would track and verify cargo
Moreira da Silva said the fertiliser mechanism, drawn up in March, could be activated within seven to 10 days if both Iran and the United States agree. Under the plan, UN monitors would work with local authorities at Gulf ports to verify cargo loading, and ships would be tracked during transit.
Additional inspections could be carried out if any country raised concerns about a vessel or its cargo, he said. He added that passage of only five vessels per day through the strait could keep fertiliser flowing to countries in critical need.
The mechanism could run alongside negotiations for a “comprehensive deal” to restore freedom of navigation in the strait, Moreira da Silva said. He did not explain why the two countries have not yet agreed to the proposal.
Growing alarm over fertiliser shortages and food supply
Iran and the United States have exchanged proposals through intermediaries since a June interim ceasefire collapsed. Efforts to reopen the strait have stalled over Tehran’s conditions and Washington’s insistence on addressing Iran’s nuclear programme from the outset.
Moreira da Silva framed his appeal in direct terms: “What we are telling them is, while you continue your discussions towards a comprehensive deal, let us work, let us do our job.”
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization warned in May that fertiliser scarcity could tighten food supplies from late 2026 into 2027, with countries facing climate or other crises likely to be hit hardest. In South Asia, where most farmers rely on imported fertiliser, growers are already struggling with soaring costs and shortages. On Wednesday, farmers in Spain protested in the streets against rising production costs amid high oil and fertiliser prices.
