Grosvenor Group warns fertiliser shortages will hit global food prices next year
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 7
Grosvenor Group warns fertiliser shortages will hit global food prices next year
12 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 7
Executive trustee Mark Preston said UK farmers face fertiliser cost rises of 50% to 70% after the late-February Iran war and Strait of Hormuz disruption.
He said most UK crops this year should avoid immediate damage because fertiliser has largely been applied, but farmers are delaying purchases and may switch more land to spring cropping in 2027.
About 1,600 vessels are stranded as the strait’s closure disrupts LNG and nitrogen fertiliser supplies, while Yara has also warned of food shortages and price rises in vulnerable African countries.
With fertiliser supplies choked by war, can new on-farm tech prevent a global food crisis?
A closed strait threatens 10 billion meals weekly. Is the world heading for a global food auction?
2026 Hormuz Crisis Sparks Global Fertilizer Shortage and Projected 24% Food Insecurity Surge in Asia
Overview
The 2026 conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, halting tanker traffic and causing a severe collapse in global fertilizer supplies, especially urea. Damage to Gulf LNG facilities further reduced fertilizer production inputs, driving prices up by 40%. Major importers like India, Brazil, and the US faced critical shortages, with many farmers reducing fertilizer use in 2027, leading to lower crop yields and a global food price surge. This crisis threatens to push 45 million more people into acute hunger. Efforts to mitigate impacts include shifts to organic fertilizers, export restrictions, and a UN task force to reopen trade, but geopolitical tensions and aid cuts complicate solutions, highlighting urgent needs for systemic change and global cooperation.