Published on: 2026-05-20
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has become not just a temporary disruption of navigation, but the beginning of a systemic agri-food shock capable of escalating into a serious global food price crisis within the next 6-12 months. This was warned by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), urging countries to urgently seek alternative trade routes, avoid export restrictions, and facilitate humanitarian food deliveries.
FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero stated that the world inevitably needs to “seriously consider increasing resilience [to events related to the Strait of Hormuz] in order to minimize potential consequences.” According to him, this refers to a comprehensive set of measures from governments, international financial institutions, the private sector, and UN agencies that should help states cope with growing risks.
FAO notes that the window for preventive measures is rapidly narrowing: the decisions made today by farmers and governments will determine whether the current shock escalates into a full-scale food cost crisis. The consequences are already noticeable: the FAO Food Price Index has been rising for the third month in a row.
According to the director of the FAO Department of Agri-Food Economics, David Laborde, the blow can be softened by redirecting trade flows through the east of the Arabian Peninsula, the west of Saudi Arabia, and the Red Sea, but the throughput capacity of these routes is limited, which makes the refusal of export restrictions by major producers especially important.
FAO also warns that the situation may be exacerbated by the expected intensification of the natural phenomenon El Niño, capable of causing drought and disrupting climatic cycles in several regions.
The organization has prepared a set of recommendations – from emergency measures to ensure alternative corridors and protection of humanitarian supplies to expanding farmer credit, developing digital registers, strengthening logistics, and increasing investments in sustainable technologies. In the long-term perspective, FAO calls for diversifying ports and transport corridors, increasing regional reserves, and enhancing the resilience of energy systems.
According to the organization’s assessment, without coordinated actions, the global community risks encountering a new wave of global food insecurity already in the near year.
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