Trending Now - Iran Conflict Threatens to Ignite Global Food Crisis
WHO:
NBC News - Officials across the world are warning about the potential for a global food crisis due to the Iran conflict.
ZME Science - Matin Qaim, a researcher at the University of Bonn in Germany, expressed concerns about the crisis.
ZME Science - Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization, commented on the disruptions in the world trading system.
ZME Science - Anthony Ryan, a fertilizer specialist at the University of Sheffield, discussed the implications of halting mineral fertilizer use.
ZME Science - Chris Abbott, chief executive of agricultural product maker Pivot Bio, highlighted the timing of the crisis.
ZME Science - Deepika Thapliyal, a fertilizer specialist at Independent Commodity Intelligence Services, warned about rising food prices.
ZME Science - Paul Behrens, a researcher at the University of Oxford, discussed the impact of biofuels on food supply.
WHAT:
NBC News - The price of Brent crude oil is currently hovering at around $105 per barrel.
NBC News - The U.S. gas prices have topped $4 for the first time since 2022.
ZME Science - The price of diesel fuel has surged by 60% since the war began.
ZME Science - The U.S. imports about 25% of its total fertilizer use, including 18% of its nitrogen use, according to the American Farm Bureau.
ZME Science - Agricultural bankruptcies surged by 46% in 2025, with soybean farmers facing losses of $138 per acre and corn farmers losing $230 per acre before the recent price shocks.
NBC News - Rising energy, shipping, and fertilizer costs could push tens of millions into acute hunger if the war continues.
ZME Science - The price of urea has spiked by 50% and ammonia by 20% since the war began.
ZME Science - Diesel fuel prices have surged by 60%.
ZME Science - Agricultural bankruptcies surged by 46% in 2025.
ZME Science - Before the recent price shocks, soybean farmers faced losses of $138 per acre, and corn farmers lost $230 per acre.
ZME Science - If fertilizer prices double, food prices could increase by 20 to 30 percent.
WHERE:
ZME Science - The Strait of Hormuz is a critical shipping route for nearly a third of the world’s fertilizer.
ZME Science - Qatar produces 15% of the global supply of urea and controls 50% of internationally traded urea.
ZME Science - The U.S. relies on imports for about half of its domestic urea consumption.
WHEN:
ZME Science - The U.S. gas prices topped $4 for the first time since 2022.
ZME Science - The war in Iran escalated in 2026, leading to significant disruptions in the agricultural sector.
WHY:
ZME Science - The Iran conflict has destabilized major trade flows during a time when many countries were already under major geopolitical strain, particularly amplified by the Trump administration’s trade wars.
ZME Science - The conflict in Iran has restricted shipments of critical agricultural chemicals, leading to a fertilizer shortage.
ZME Science - The war is causing disruptions in the global trading system, exacerbated by previous geopolitical tensions, including trade wars during the Trump administration.
HOW:
ZME Science - The Iran war is trapping the inputs necessary for fertilizer production, shifting more power into the hands of a few autocratic nations, including Russia and Belarus, which hold immense leverage over global agriculture.
ZME Science - The production of nitrogen fertilizers relies on natural gas, which is being disrupted by the conflict.
ZME Science - Countries like India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan typically produce their own fertilizer using imported Gulf gas, which is now unavailable.
(UPDATED April 1, 2026 19:20 UTC)
The price of Brent crude oil is currently around $105 per barrel, while U.S. gas prices have surpassed $4 for the first time since 2022. Diesel fuel has seen a staggering 60% increase since the onset of the Iran conflict, which has disrupted major trade flows and intensified existing geopolitical tensions. This situation has led to a significant rise in agricultural bankruptcies and has shifted control of fertilizer production inputs to a few autocratic nations, further impacting global agriculture.
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(UPDATED April 1, 2026 17:20 UTC)
Officials around the world are raising alarms about a potential global food crisis stemming from the ongoing conflict in Iran, with experts warning that rising energy, shipping, and fertilizer costs could push tens of millions into acute hunger if the war continues. The price of urea has surged by 50% and ammonia by 20% since the conflict began, while diesel fuel prices have skyrocketed by 60%, leading to a significant increase in agricultural bankruptcies and potential food price hikes of 20 to 30 percent if fertilizer prices double. The situation is further complicated by disruptions in the global trading system, particularly affecting critical shipping routes like the Strait of Hormuz, which is vital for fertilizer supplies, as the U.S. relies on imports for about half of its domestic urea consumption.