The conflict in the Middle East has “severely disrupted” global fertiliser trade, heightening risks for wider food security, a World Trade Organization report has said.
The WTO said several economies in Africa and Asia are “particularly vulnerable” to fertiliser shortages and rising prices linked to the crisis
It warned weaker fertiliser availability could hurt crop production, creating “potential knock-on effects” for food prices and global food security. According to the report, fertiliser-related outbound shipments through the Strait of Hormuz to destinations beyond the Persian Gulf fell to a “standstill” after the conflict began and have stayed “close to zero” ever since. Prices surged sharply in the immediate aftermath.
Urea, which had traded at about $400 per metric tonne (mt), climbed to more than $850/mt in April before retreating to $453/mt in June. Diammonium phosphate (DAP) also rose, moving from roughly $580/mt to around $770/mt. The levels remain below the peaks seen in 2022 after the Ukraine war began, when urea briefly topped $900/mt, DAP neared $960/mt and potash exceeded $1,200/mt.