ELZUBI to Sky News Arabia and Food Crises

“Every time a strait is closed, a new Arab food file is opened. Energy prices are the locomotive, but they are not the only driver. The actual closure of the Strait of Hormuz pushed Brent crude above $100 per barrel and removed about 14 million barrels per day from global supply.

This disruption leaks directly into three layers within the food chain:
fertilizers – especially urea and phosphates;
maritime shipping and insurance costs;
and the accelerating demand for biofuels, which has driven up vegetable oil prices since July 2022.

Thus, we are facing a compound energy-geopolitical shock, not a classic agricultural crisis. When a strait is closed, a new food file is opened on every Arab table.”