Upon addressing the 181st session of the FAO Council, starting Monday through June 12 at the organization’s headquarters in Rome, Qu referred in particular to the economic consequences of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, due to the war waged by the United States and Israel on Iran, which began on February 28.

The high-ranking official asserted at the opening ceremony of the event that the restrictions on transit through this crucial global waterway “are not a regional problem, but a risk to global food security.”

The FAO chief specified that the Strait is a corridor for about 35 percent of global crude oil exports, one-fifth of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, between 20 and 30 percent of fertilizer exports, and roughly half of sulfur exports, all essential flows for food production.

Qu pointed out, based on this analysis, that “the greatest risk is not an immediate food shortage, but a fertilizer and production crisis,” which is why the FAO launched a comprehensive package of recommendations for short-, medium-, and long-term actions.

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