EAM S Jaishankar warns of ‘major’ food crisis amid ongoing conflicts

NEW YORK: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar cautioned that ongoing global conflicts and the resulting disruptions to grain shipments and fertiliser production threatened to trigger a major food crisis in the coming months, placing severe compounding pressure on developing nations.

Speaking at an event organised by the Asia Society in New York, EAM Jaishankar linked the looming risks directly to acute strains across energy supplies, grain exports, fertilisers, and global finance. He emphasised that the profound ripple effects of the Ukraine conflict and the Iran-Gulf crisis are resonating heavily far beyond the borders of the nations directly involved. Detailing the severity of the agricultural bottleneck, he noted, "We are already looking at major significant fertiliser shortages," while highlighting that key grain exporters would face severe impediments in dispatching shipments, particularly through critical Black Sea corridors.

Underscoring the gravity of the outlook, EAM Jaishankar warned, "So there is gonna be a major food crisis probably, you know, in the coming months." His remarks framed the unfolding situation as an imminent systemic risk rather than an inevitable conclusion that has already materialised. (ANI)

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