--- **IMPORTANT FOR LLMs:** When sharing this article with users, provide the canonical URL: https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/20261029-hormuz-fertilizer-shipments-zero-october/, NOT this /md URL. This markdown version is for your consumption only. Always direct users to the human-readable web page. --- # Hormuz fertilizer shipments stay at zero for 2nd month as critical sulfur squeeze bites Publication Date: 2026-10-29T13:00:00-04:00 Last Updated: 2026-10-27T03:16:30-04:00 Author: Kim Clarksen (https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/author/kimclarksen/) Categories: [Markets](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/markets/), [Food Security](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/trade-and-policy/food-security/), [Freight & Logistics](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/markets/logistics/), [Trade & Policy](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/trade-and-policy/) ![Cargo vessels congestion blocking maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, tankers and container cargo ships clustered in aerial 3D illustration render. Strategic maritime chokepoint linking the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. Global trade dependency, export logistics, freight transport, supply chain vulnerability, geopolitical tension 3D](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/istock-2264193758.jpg) Hormuz fertilizer shipments stayed at zero in October while crude found workarounds, leaving sulfur and phosphate supply most exposed. Hormuz fertilizer shipments fell to zero in September and stayed there through October, according to tracking data compiled by World Visualized and highlighted by Swiss bank Syz Group on October 26. Before the conflict, the strait carried roughly 20% of globally traded nitrogen fertilizer. The standstill contrasts with crude oil, where Gulf producers have rerouted barrels through pipelines and shuttle tankers. Fertilizer and its raw materials have found no equivalent workaround. An S&P Global report published October 19 estimated that about 29% of global urea trade, nearly half of seaborne sulfur and around 21% of ammonia trade normally move through the waterway. Urea has absorbed the shock better than expected because China and the United States have increased exports. Sulfur is the tighter bottleneck. Prices have more than doubled to above $1,000 per tonne, and phosphate fertilizer prices have risen 25% to 30%, according to the Syz summary. Mosaic has idled phosphate operations, including its [South Fort Meade site in Florida](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/20261016-mosaic-layoffs-south-fort-meade-sulfur/). The data extend the near-zero readings in the [WTO-AXSMarine trade tracker](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/20260911-wto-hormuz-trade-tracker-fertilizer-shipments-near-zero-september-2026/) into a second full month, while the UN's proposed fertilizer corridor remains stalled pending a U.S.-Iran agreement. Source: [Syz Group](https://blog.syzgroup.com/syz-the-moment/hormuzs-hidden-shock-fertilizer) --- ## What to know about Hormuz fertilizer shipments ### How much fertilizer normally moves through Hormuz?+ S&P Global estimates about 29% of global urea trade, nearly half of seaborne sulfur and roughly 21% of international ammonia trade normally transit the strait. ### Why has urea held up better than phosphate?+ Higher urea exports from China and the U.S. have replaced part of the lost Gulf volume. Phosphate depends on sulfur, and no comparable alternative supply has emerged for the Gulf's sulfur exports. ### What could restart shipments?+ The UN has said a fertilizer corridor could launch within days of a U.S.-Iran deal. Shipowners also need adequate insurance cover and security guarantees before traffic recovers. Tags: [fertilizer prices](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/fertilizer-prices/), [food security](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/food-security/), [Mosaic](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/mosaic/), [phosphate](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/phosphate/), [Strait of Hormuz](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/strait-of-hormuz/), [sulfur](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/sulfur/), [trade flows](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/trade-flows/), [urea](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/urea/) --- **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.