In an interview with NPR’s “All Things Considered,” Avinash Kishore, IFPRI senior research fellow in New Delhi, highlighted rising concerns among Indian farmers as fertilizer prices surge and supplies tighten due to the disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. As farmers begin preparing for June, Kishore noted “a little bit of nervousness” about securing enough fertilizer if the conflict persists.
Kishore also emphasized the broader risks: Even a 5–10% rise in food prices could be devastating for hundreds of millions of low‑income households in South Asia, with children at particular risk of malnutrition. He added that the war is also disrupting India’s food exports—such as rice, mangoes, and grapes—to Gulf countries, creating additional uncertainty for farmers.