EXPLAINER
How badly is Europe affected by fertiliser shortages due to the Iran war?
EU launches fertiliser plan as Strait of Hormuz disruption fuels food security fears.
![A Havana local smokes a cigar on the Malecón - the city’s waterfront area. Both domestically and abroad, Cuban cigars are becoming an increasingly rare luxury. [Euan Wallace/ Al Jazeera]](https://aljazeeranews-mggx1uo47w.edgeone.app/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC02741-1775944580.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)
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World faces food ‘catastrophe’ if Strait of Hormuz disruption persists: FAO
Global agriculture is highly exposed to the blockage of waterways, risking higher commodity prices and food inflation.
‘It all depends on the crop’: Gulf crisis hits South Asia farmers
As sowing season approaches across the region, farmers face scarcity and rising cost of fertiliser.
From: NewsFeed
Philippines farmers feeling the pinch of the war on Iran
Cabbage farmers in the Philippines are harvesting their crops at a loss as prices plunge and fuel costs soar.
Published On 25 Mar 2026
Why Pakistani farmers are suing two German companies for deadly 2022 floods
Case relates to RWE and Heidelberg Materials, accused of emissions that intensified historic floods and destroyed farms.
From: NewsFeed
Indian farmers dress up as bears to protect crops from monkeys
Farmers in northern India are dressing up in bear costumes to protect their crops from monkeys.
Published On 16 Mar 2026
Farmers in Gaza risk Israeli bullets to bring their fields back to life
Gaza farmers face risks as Israeli buffer zones expand into their agricultural lands under heavy military control.
![3 Shyam Kalpadia, from Koraput in Odisha, said he introduced many of his friends to Kerala's tea business [Amit Malaviya/Al Jazeera]](https://aljazeeranews-mggx1uo47w.edgeone.app/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/3-Shyam-Kalpadia-from-Koraput-in-Odisha-said-he-introduced-many-of-his-friends-to-Keralas-tea-business-1-1771256421.jpg?resize=570%2C380&quality=80)
Shyam Kalpadia, from Koraput in Odisha, says he introduced many of his friends to Kerala's tea business [Amit Malaviya/Al Jazeera]
A tea garden in Wayanad, Kerala. [Amit Malaviya/Al Jazeera]
Rajkumar Jani, 23, a botany graduate from the eastern state of Odisha, harvests tender tea leaves using a handheld machine. [Amit Malaviya/Al Jazeera]
Jani stacks sacks of tea leaves at the tea garden in Wayanad. [Amit Malaviya/Al Jazeera]
Shyam Kalpadia (not pictured) helped many others find jobs in the tea industry in Kerala, including Rutu Nandiwali, 23, and Lakshman Kumar, 18, both seen here harvesting in the distance. [Amit Malaviya/Al Jazeera]
A tea garden in the Wayanad district in the southern Indian state of Kerala. [Amit Malaviya/Al Jazeera]
In Kerala's tea gardens, creepers are planted tactfully to make optimal use of the hilly slopes. [Amit Malaviya/Al Jazeera]
For Kalpadia, a decent income is the main motivation for moving to Kerala state. [Amit Malaviya/Al Jazeera]
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Trump and Petro clash over how best to uproot Colombia’s cocaine crops
As Gustavo Petro prepares to face Donald Trump in Washington, Colombia’s anti-drug strategy is under intense scrutiny.
EU, Mercosur bloc sign free trade deal after 25 years of negotiations
European and South American leaders say pact sends ‘clear signal’ amid concerns over global tariffs, isolationism.
Thousands of Irish farmers protest EU’s Mercosur trade deal
Farmers flood the streets of Athlone to raise concerns over the trade deal’s impact on Ireland’s beef industry.
