Fertilizer shipments through the Strait of Hormuz drop to zero As concerns about food security increase, fertilizer shipments tracked through the Strait of Hormuz have dropped to zero.

Fertilizer shipments through the Strait of Hormuz drop to zero As concerns about food security increase, fertilizer shipments tracked through the Strait of Hormuz have dropped to zero.

The disruption lasted more than seven months.

The UN warns of food shortages in parts of Asia and Africa. Fertilizer shipments through the Strait of Hormuz fell to zero in September and remained there in October 2026, according to vessel tracking data from the World Trade Organization (WTO) and maritime intelligence provider AXSMarine, raising concerns about global food supplies. The charts' shipment volume index stood at 2,960 in January and 2,531 in February before falling sharply to 1,064 in March. It fell further to 278 in April and 225 in May, briefly recovered to 343 in June, and then fell to 87 in July and 62 in August. By September, the index reached zero, where it remained in October. The WTO reported in October that global nitrogen-based fertilizer imports were only 2.8 percent below recent averages, while phosphate fertilizer imports rose 2.2 percent as buyers turned to alternative suppliers. However, the prolonged disruption continues to create uncertainty for farmers, especially in countries where planting seasons are approaching and fertilizer supplies are already under pressure.