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Fuel Price Surge and Fertilizer Shortage Due to War Threaten Global Food Security
🇩🇿 Algeria /Economy & Trade

Fuel Price Surge and Fertilizer Shortage Due to War Threaten Global Food Security

From El Watan · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Global food security is threatened by rising fuel prices and fertilizer shortages caused by the war, impacting developing nations heavily reliant on imports.
  • UN estimates show fuel prices more than doubling their 2025 average, with fertilizer prices potentially remaining 15-20% higher, exacerbating financial pressures.
  • The crisis, described as the most severe energy crisis in history, risks pushing over 32 million additional people into poverty due to combined shocks of energy, food costs, and economic slowdown.

The ongoing global conflict has unleashed a devastating wave of economic instability, with profound implications for nations already struggling under debt and import dependency. As the United Nations highlights, the world is grappling with an unprecedented energy crisis, directly fueling a surge in fuel and transportation costs. This, in turn, is driving up the prices of essential fertilizers and food products, creating a perilous situation for developing countries.

fuel prices currently exceed 100% their 2025 average, while fertilizer prices could remain 15 to 20% higher throughout the first half of 2026 if disruptions persist.

— UN estimatesEstimates on the impact of supply chain disruptions on global prices.

The repercussions are stark: global fuel prices have more than doubled their 2025 average, and fertilizer costs are projected to remain significantly elevated. This economic shock, coupled with a broader economic slowdown, threatens to plunge an additional 32 million people worldwide into poverty. The situation is particularly dire as the fertilizer industry, crucial for agricultural production, faces severe supply disruptions. Shortages of fuel hinder production, while transportation delays and rising costs for key components like urea and limonene jeopardize crop yields.

This is not just an energy challenge. It is a development and financing challenge… More than 32 million additional people risk falling into poverty globally, under the combined shock of rising energy prices, increased food costs, and slowing economic growth.

— Lok Bahadur ThapaPresident of the UN Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc) on the broader implications of the crisis.

This crisis underscores the interconnectedness of global markets and the vulnerability of nations reliant on imports. The potential loss of billions of meals weekly, as warned by industry leaders, paints a grim picture for the months ahead, especially for the world's poorest populations. The international community must urgently address these supply chain disruptions to avert a widespread food security catastrophe.

In the worst-case scenario, this will translate into lower yields and lost harvests next season. In the best-case scenario, the increased cost of inputs will be passed on to food prices next year.

— Carl SkauDeputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme on the potential impact on agricultural yields.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Watan in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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