Bangladesh says Saudi fertilizer support eased food security risks during Hormuz closure
DHAKA: The closure of the Strait of Hormuz in March threatened not only fuel but also fertilizer supply to Bangladesh, as it entered its planting season. A state agency responsible for the imports says that Saudi help allowed emergency supplies to reach on time, reducing food security risks.
Mid-March to mid-July is one of Bangladesh’s three main agricultural seasons, and is vital for the rural economy as it provides rice and cash crops like jute ahead of the annual monsoon floods.
When the US-Israeli war on Iran broke out and imports from the Gulf region stopped, fertilizer imports from the region were halted.
“At the same time, our domestic fertilizer producers were also forced to stop production due to a shortage of raw materials,” Mohammad Fazlur Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation, told Arab News.
