LONDON, March 27. /TASS/. The consequences of the conflict around Iran are already posing the threat of one of the largest food crises due to disruptions in fertilizer supplies and rising energy prices, the Financial Times reported.

According to the newspaper, developing countries are particularly vulnerable, as are key agricultural regions in India, Bangladesh, and the United States, where farmers are facing shortages of gas, fuel, and fertilizers. The disruptions are linked to the suspension of fertilizer production in Qatar, Algeria, and Europe, as well as blockages of shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Rising energy prices are increasing the costs of transporting, processing, and storing food. Even a short-term conflict could push food inflation in the US from 2% to 4%, and if the conflict persists, it could exceed double-digit levels.

Estimates from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) indicate that by June, about 45 million people in poor countries could face acute food shortages, in addition to the 318 million people already experiencing food insecurity, the newspaper noted. Experts warn that without urgent measures to ensure fertilizer and food supplies, the crisis could escalate further.