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Hormuz fertiliser bottleneck could spark a Southeast Asia food crisis

International Chamber of Commerce chief John Denton said the region needs to guard against export restrictions while the United States and Iran have not signed off on a UN-led Hormuz plan.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Trade & Tariffs

Southeast Asia faces a potential hunger crisis tied to a fertiliser bottleneck if governments do not manage export restrictions during a fertiliser shortfall, International Chamber of Commerce Secretary General John Denton warned.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Future of Trade Forum in Singapore, Denton urged Singapore, as the next ASEAN chair, to prioritize what he called a “sleeper issue” for the region, arguing that the real story is food rather than the Strait of Hormuz being viewed only as an energy crunch.

Denton said the UN was able to carve out the Black Sea Grain Initiative during the Russia-Ukraine war by securing agreement for safe grain exports, and he said the ICC is trying to support a similar approach for the Hormuz strait.

He added that a UN-led task force is working on implementation, but the United States and Iran have not yet signed off on the plan.

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