A soybean farmer opens a pod to show kernels in a field not yet ready for harvest at his family’s farm in Cordova, Md., on Oct. 10, 2025. Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
United Nations officials have warned that shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz threaten one-third of the global fertilizer trade at a critical moment for spring planting in many regions and could trigger a broader food crisis unless shipments resume quickly.
The waterway’s effective closure in the aftermath of the Iran war has sent shockwaves through agricultural supply chains, energy markets, and food security planning worldwide.
