Billions of meals at risk due to Iran war, says fertiliser boss

A shortage of fertiliser due to the Iran conflict could reduce crop yields and push prices higher, says the boss of Yara.

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Svein Tore Holsether, chief executive of Yara, told the BBC that hostilities in the Gulf, which have blocked shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, are jeopardising global food production.

Reduced crop yields as a result of lower fertiliser use could lead to a bidding war for food, he warned.

He urged European nations to consider carefully the impact of a price war on the "most vulnerable" in other countries.

Although the UK is very unlikely to face food shortages, the increased costs facing food producers are expected to start showing up on weekly food bills in the next few months.