Sudanese farmers cut production as fuel and fertiliser costs soar
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · May 8
Sudanese farmers cut production as fuel and fertiliser costs soar
6 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · May 8
In Gezira, urea rose to about $50 from $11 a bag, tractor fuel to $8 from $2.50 a gallon, and some farmers said they would plant only half their land.
The Iran war has disrupted Gulf shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and delayed supplies, pushing up food prices and threatening Sorghum, Millet and sesame planting before the June-November season.
With 19 million people already facing acute hunger, aid deliveries are taking 9,000km longer, while conflict inside Sudan, fuel blockages and bombed local markets deepen risks of famine.
As a naval blockade strangles Sudan's supplies, can a catastrophic famine be averted before the planting season is lost?
With genocide confirmed and aid critically underfunded, has the world abandoned millions of Sudanese to starvation?
The Hormuz 'war of blockades' has paralyzed shipping. What does this crisis reveal about the fragility of global trade?
Fuel and Fertilizer Price Shocks Paralyze Sudanese Farming, Threatening 23 Million with Hunger
Overview
Sudan's agricultural crisis in mid-2026 is driven by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which caused a surge in war-risk insurance and collapsed tanker traffic, disrupting global shipping of fuel and fertilizer. This disruption, combined with a pre-existing fertilizer shortage and Sudan's ongoing civil war causing hyperinflation and infrastructure damage, has led to soaring input prices and reduced farming activity. Farmers are forced to plant less or switch to less productive crops, causing agricultural output to remain below pre-war levels and food prices to soar. The conflict also displaces millions and blocks humanitarian aid, worsening acute food insecurity and famine conditions for over 25 million people. Urgent international action is needed to restore supply routes, fund aid, and support farmers before the next planting season.