UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has warned that the world is “sleepwalking into a global food crisis” as continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz threatens fertiliser supplies, energy markets and global food security. Speaking ahead of the Global Partnerships Conference in London, Cooper said urgent international action is needed to reopen the key shipping route before agricultural production is severely affected.
The blockade has disrupted shipments of fertiliser and fuel at a critical time for global farming, with the World Food Programme estimating that up to 45 million more people could face acute food insecurity if the crisis continues beyond mid-2026. Rising oil and gas prices are also increasing pressure on vulnerable economies and household budgets worldwide.
Cooper warned that fertiliser supplies must resume “within weeks, not months” to avoid major crop failures and rising food prices. Analysts say the Strait of Hormuz crisis has become one of the biggest threats to global trade and food supply chains in decades.
