
The interruption of oil and gas supplied through the Strait of Hormuz due to the US-Israel war with Iran has dramatically pushed up global energy prices.
Petrol has gone up already and UK domestic heating bills are almost certain to follow.
But it's not just fuel that's been impacted by the conflict. A host of other vitally important chemicals, gases and other products normally enter international supply chains via the Hormuz Strait.
BBC Verify has found that the price of a host of goods - ranging from food, to smartphones, to medicines - could be affected, as the number of ships passing through the Hormuz Strait has dropped from well over 100 a day before the war to just a handful.
Here is what could be impacted.
Fertilisers (Food)
Petrochemicals are derived from oil and gas and they are produced in great quantities for export by countries in the Gulf region.
And one of the most important is fertiliser, vital for global agricultural production.
According to the United Nations, around a third of the world's fertilisers - such as urea, potash, ammonia and phosphates - normally pass through the Hormuz Strait.
Data from the World Trade Organization shows that, since the conflict began, outbound shipments of fertiliser-related products through the waterway have collapsed.
Analysts have warned that a shortage of these ferilisers is likely to be particularly damaging to agricultural production now because March and April are the northern hemisphere's planting season and less fertiliser use now by farmers will impact yields for later in the year.
"A relatively brief closure could disrupt an entire growing season, with food security consequences that persist long after the strait reopens," according to researchers at the Kiel Institute.
-
Nearly 100 ships pass the Hormuz Strait - who is getting through?
-
How risky would it be to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz?
-
In maps: Attacks across Iran and the Middle East enter third week
The Institute's work suggests a full closure of the Strait of Hormuz could push up global wheat prices by 4.2% and fruit and vegetable prices by 5.2%.
And it estimates that the most badly affected countries in terms of the overall increase in food prices would be Zambia (31%), Sri Lanka (15%), Taiwan (12%) and Pakistan (11%).
Russia normally supplies around a fifth of global fertiliser exports and analysts say it could potentially increase production to fill the gap.
Vladimir Putin's special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, has said that Russia, a major producer of commodities like fertiliser, is "well positioned".
LATEST POSTS
- 1
As tetanus vaccination rates decline, doctors worry about rising case numbers - 2
Miley Cyrus flashes a diamond ring on the red carpet, sparking engagement rumors with Maxx Morando: A timeline of their four-year relationship - 3
How Skoda Lost Its Biggest Market In Just Seven Years - 4
I thought I knew the night sky, but what I saw from the Canary Islands left me speechless - 5
Polar bears are rewiring their own genetics to survive a warming climate
Sanofi to acquire hepatitis B vaccine maker Dynavax for $2.2 billion
World's oldest known tortoise still very much alive despite rumor to the contrary
Ukraine Now Using Drone Boats To Attack Russian Riverine Targets
Toyota Just Electrified a Pickup Legend, but It Won’t Be Cheap
April's full moon decides the date of Easter — here's how it works
Greenland’s melting ice and landslide-prone fjords make the oil and minerals Trump is eyeing dangerous to extract
The Most Rousing Ladies Business visionaries of Today
10 Famous Frozen yogurt Flavors All over The Planet
'We need everyone,' wounded reservist urges Knesset panel to advance haredi draft law












