Strait of Hormuz Crisis Threatens Global Fertilizer Supply

September 20, 2026 · AA Tarım & Ekonomi

Logistical disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have brought fertilizer raw material shipments to a standstill, while rising import prices directly threaten agricultural production in developing countries.

Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, stated during the World Trade Organization Public Forum that the disruption of trade flows in the Strait of Hormuz has caused deep tremors in agricultural production and energy markets. According to the data released, crude oil imports from the region in the second quarter of 2026 decreased by 51% compared to the same period last year, while liquefied natural gas (LNG) and methanol imports fell by 90%. Executive Director Coke-Hamilton evaluated the situation with the following words:

Coke-Hamilton emphasized that the disruptions in the Strait have directly hit the global fertilizer industry, with imports of urea, ammonia, and sulfur from the region decreasing by over 80% year-on-year in the second quarter. Drawing attention to the agricultural vulnerability of less developed economies, the Executive Director of the International Trade Centre made the following statement:

Following the logistical shocks, raw material costs have rapidly escalated. According to institutional data, import prices for urea increased by 70%, for ammonia by 82%, and for sulfur by 151%. Stating that these exponentially rising input costs are putting producers in a difficult position, Executive Director Coke-Hamilton warned:

While a sharp 85% drop was observed in urea imports via the Strait route, it was reported that the overall loss in import volume was limited to 6% thanks to shipments secured from other markets.

Coke-Hamilton stated that alternative producers have stepped in to close the supply gap, noting that Egypt doubled its urea exports to India during this period, Nigeria increased its exports by 81%, and supply from alternative sources rose by 26%. The Executive Director of the International Trade Centre commented that route changes might be temporary:

Türkçe