Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:44am on 22 May 2026,Friday International
The Iran war and Strait of Hormuz disruptions have triggered a global fertiliser crunch, forcing farmers to seek unconventional alternatives including chicken manure, biofertilisers and even processed human urine. Around one-third of globally traded urea originates from the Gulf region, pushing prices to multi-year highs after supply chains were hit. Farmers in Britain, Malaysia, Thailand and the US are increasingly experimenting with waste-based and microbial products to reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers. French startup Toopi Organics reported a 25% sales jump for its urine-based bacteria feed products. The UN warned prolonged disruptions could weaken harvests, raise food prices and push 45 million more people into acute food insecurity amid rising global agricultural uncertainty worldwide. (PC: Bloomberg)
