According to the World Bank Higher fertilizer prices put pressure on food supply
According to the World Bank, rising fertilizer prices are threatening the food security of millions of people. Prices are likely to rise by 31 percent this year compared to the previous year, according to a commodity report by the institute.
28.04.2026, 16:24
28.04.2026, 16:25
SDA
Farmers are facing the challenge of paying more for fertilizer than they have since 2022 - when the start of the Russian war of aggression also led to an energy crisis and exacerbated famines worldwide.
Higher costs are likely to reduce farmers' profits and jeopardize crop yields, warns the World Bank. This could have fatal consequences for the food supply and affordability of food: According to the United Nations World Food Program, up to 45 million additional people could go hungry if the conflict in the Middle East is prolonged.
According to the World Bank, the price increase should then at least slow down somewhat next year - provided that fertilizer and raw material exports, which have been hampered by the war in Iran, do not continue beyond May. In addition, natural gas prices may not reach the highs of 2022 in this scenario.
Institute assumes significant price increase
Overall, the World Bank assumes that the Iran war will lead to the sharpest rise in energy prices for four years. In 2026, these are likely to rise by 24% compared to the previous year, the report continues. For commodities as a whole, the price increase is likely to be 16 percent. In addition to the energy crisis and the worsening situation for fertilizers, certain metals will also contribute to this.
The reason for this is the precarious situation in the Strait of Hormuz: according to the World Bank, a good third of global crude oil trade is handled by sea there. Iran and the USA are now blocking the important strait in various ways - triggering "the biggest oil supply shock since records began".
World Bank chief economist: poorest people hit hardest
The war hit the global economy in several waves, said World Bank Chief Economist Indermit Gill according to the press release. "First through higher energy prices, then through higher food prices and finally through higher inflation, which will drive up interest rates and make debt even more expensive."
Gill warned that the poorest people in the world would be hit the hardest. The population in developing countries would also suffer from an already high debt burden. "All this reminds us of a bitter truth: war is development in reverse."
