US and Israel's Conflict with Iran Disrupts Global Fertilizer Supply, Impacting Agriculture
The ongoing conflict involving the US and Israel against Iran has significant implications for global agriculture due to disruptions in the supply of chemical fertilizers. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for the transportation of fertilizers and their feedstocks such as gas, ammonia, and sulphur, is at the center of this disruption. Historically, fertilizers have played a crucial role in geopolitical conflicts, influencing colonial expansion and military strategies. The industrial revolution and subsequent agricultural demands led to a race for securing fertilizer resources, with countries like Spain and Britain engaging in conflicts over guano and nitrate mines. The development of synthetic nitrogen by German chemist Fritz Haber further transformed the fertilizer industry, although phosphorus still required extraction from phosphate rock. 
