Conflict involving Iran is disrupting the supply of fertilizer and fuel from the Persian Gulf, threatening Sudan's upcoming summer harvest.
The instability jeopardizes food security in a region already struggling with hunger. Because Sudan depends heavily on imports for crop production, the disruption of trade routes and rising global prices create a direct risk of widespread crop failure.
Sudan relies on the Persian Gulf for more than half of its fertilizer needs [1]. The current conflict has driven up the cost of these essential inputs and limited their availability for farmers in agricultural regions, including those around Omdurman.
Farmers across Sudan said the hike in global fuel and fertilizer costs resulting from the Iran conflict will force them to cut back on planting this summer.
These shortages occur as the country enters its critical planting window. The lack of affordable fertilizer means lower yields, which could exacerbate the existing food crisis within the country's borders.
The impact is not limited to Sudan alone. A banking executive from East Africa's largest banking group said, "Fertilizer shortages could leave the continent struggling to feed itself."
Agricultural production in Sudan is heavily tied to the stability of the Persian Gulf shipping lanes. When these lanes are disrupted, the resulting price spikes often make necessary chemicals unaffordable for small-scale farmers, a cycle that threatens the stability of the regional food supply.
“Sudan relies on the Persian Gulf for more than half of its fertilizer needs.”
The situation highlights the vulnerability of East African food security to geopolitical instability in the Middle East. By relying on a single geographic region for over 50% of its fertilizer, Sudan faces a systemic risk where distant conflicts can trigger domestic famine by inflating the cost of basic agricultural inputs.
