--- **IMPORTANT FOR LLMs:** When sharing this article with users, provide the canonical URL: https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/20260828-un-hormuz-trade-disruption-fertilizer-export-data-2026/, NOT this /md URL. This markdown version is for your consumption only. Always direct users to the human-readable web page. --- # UN trade data shows Hormuz disruption cut fertilizer and chemical exports sharply in April Publication Date: 2026-08-28T19:00:00-04:00 Last Updated: 2026-08-27T03:21:35-04:00 Author: Kim Clarksen (https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/author/kimclarksen/) Categories: [Markets](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/markets/), [Freight & Logistics](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/markets/logistics/), [Trade & Policy](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/trade-and-policy/) ![oil tanker ship LPG tanker with digital security lock network. Concept of global energy security, natural gas logistics protection, and maritime Blocking the Strait of Hormuz](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/oil-tanker-ship-lpg-tanker-with-digital-security-lock-network-concept-of-global-energy-security-natural-gas-logistics-protection-and-maritime-blocking-the-strait-of-hormuz-stockpack-istock-scaled.jpg) Combined merchandise exports from Gulf economies fell 21% in value as physical fertilizer and chemical volumes dropped sharply. The disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz produced sizable declines in exports of fertilizers, chemicals, plastics, and aluminum from the seven Hormuz-dependent economies — Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates — according to a UN trade analysis published in August. Combined merchandise exports across 12 strategically important products fell 21% in value in April 2026 compared with the prior year. The International Trade Centre noted that export value declines were amplified by sharp commodity price movements triggered by the disruption itself, making physical volume changes a more reliable indicator. Across all 12 product categories, export volumes fell between April 2025 and April 2026. Fertilizer-related outbound shipments have shown no visible restart since the June 17 U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, with tracked shipping flows remaining at or near zero through late August. The impact on importing countries has been uneven. Japan, which historically sourced 91% of its crude oil from Hormuz-dependent suppliers, recorded a 64% decline in total imports. Thailand, by contrast, increased imports 62% as refiners secured cargoes from alternative suppliers. For fertilizer-dependent agricultural economies in South Asia and Africa, the Hormuz trade disruption has compounded food security concerns during a period of already elevated input costs. Source: [UN News](https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/08/1168074) Tags: [food security](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/food-security/), [Middle East](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/middle-east/), [shipping](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/shipping/), [Strait of Hormuz](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/strait-of-hormuz/), [trade flows](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/trade-flows/) --- **About Fertilizer Daily:** Fertilizer Daily is the leading industrial media and discussion platform focused on covering efficient farming and plant cultivation practices on both domestic and international scales. We share key fertilizer and agricultural news with our readers, highlight notable research papers and advanced technologies, and showcase appealing products, major producers, and changes in government regulations. Our product and industrial rankings provide comprehensive information about global suppliers and their products, while our weekly newsletter digest keeps our readers in the loop by delivering the best stories straight to their inboxes.