Farmers could miss planting while Hormuz talks drag on
A proposed shipping channel could start within seven to 10 days of US-Iran agreement. With Gulf fertilizer shipments largely halted, farmers in import-dependent countries face a deadline diplomacy cannot move.
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by Sami Haddad
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The United States and Iran must agree within weeks to protect fertilizer shipments through the Strait of Hormuz or farmers could miss planting seasons, a UN official warned.
Jorge Moreira da Silva, the UN under-secretary-general leading the effort, said a proposed shipping mechanism could begin operating within seven to 10 days of an agreement. It has not yet been activated, while fertilizer shipments from the Gulf remain largely halted.
The warning puts an agricultural deadline on negotiations over the waterway. Before the war, Hormuz carried roughly one-third of globally traded urea, a widely used nitrogen fertilizer, and nearly half of seaborne sulfur, another important input for fertilizer production, according to Reuters. A prolonged interruption threatens harvests and food prices far beyond the Gulf.
Speaking to Reuters in Bangkok on October 14, on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank annual meetings, Moreira da Silva said missing the planting season would significantly reduce agricultural productivity and deepen the impact on prices. He said the fertilizer arrangement could proceed alongside negotiations on a broader agreement.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres described global food supply in August as "collateral damage" in conflicts. He presented the proposed passage mechanism as a temporary measure while full freedom of navigation was restored and political solutions were pursued.
