Original Source
Iran War and China Export Controls Threaten Asia's Food Security
Asia's Agricultural Crisis Deepens
Suchart Piamsomboon, a 60-year-old farmer from Chachoengsao province in northern Thailand, faced a dilemma during the planting season. He intended to buy fertilizer, but its price had surged from 800-900 baht to over 1100 baht in just over a month, forcing him to give up on his purchase. He stated, "Farming only brings losses," and decided to work as a daily laborer earning 100-200 baht to make ends meet. Farmers across Asia, from Thailand's rice-producing regions to Vietnam's Mekong Delta, are encountering similar situations.
Fertilizer Supply Disruption and Its Impact
The immediate cause of this crisis is the Iran war. Following the US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, the Strait of Hormuz, which handles approximately one-third of global seaborne fertilizer trade, has been effectively paralyzed. This disruption in fertilizer supply has led Asian farmers to abandon planting. Such decisions are expected to significantly impact the year-end harvest in Asia, often referred to as the 'world's rice bowl.'
*Source: 風傳媒 (2026-05-03)*
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