The crisis in the Middle East is exposing the vulnerability of countries with limited domestic production and a heavy reliance on external supply routes, Maximo Torero, chief economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, has said.

ROME, April 6 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing conflict in the Middle East could heighten risks to global food security, particularly for countries heavily dependent on imported food, fertilizer and fuel, Maximo Torero, chief economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has said.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Torero said the crisis is exposing the vulnerability of countries with limited domestic production and a heavy reliance on external supply routes.

"The real dividing line is not simply between rich and poor countries," he said. "It is between those with domestic buffers and those without."

The FAO warned in a recent report that disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil, gas and fertilizer trade, could drive up costs across the agrifood system and put additional pressure on vulnerable economies.

Torero noted that some Gulf countries are highly exposed despite their wealth, as they rely heavily on food imports and seaborne trade. Financial resources may provide short-term relief, he said, but cannot replace disrupted supply routes.

He also pointed to South Asia and parts of sub-Saharan Africa as areas of concern. In these regions, shocks to fertilizer and energy supplies could quickly affect agricultural production, particularly during planting seasons. Countries with limited fiscal space would face greater difficulty absorbing higher import costs or making emergency purchases, he said.

"For low-income countries already using very limited agricultural inputs, even small supply cuts can cause disproportionately large production losses," Torero said.

The warning comes as the FAO continues to monitor global food markets. Torero said governments should not rely solely on food prices as an early signal of stress, but also monitor fertilizer prices, gas supplies to fertilizer plants, shipping flows and maritime insurance costs.

He highlighted sulfur as a critical but often overlooked factor. Though less discussed than oil or gas, sulfur is essential for producing phosphate fertilizers, and supply disruptions could have far-reaching effects beyond the conflict zone.

"Agriculture runs on biological deadlines," Torero said. "If key planting windows are missed, later interventions cannot fully reverse the damage."

He also warned that reduced fertilizer use does not necessarily lead to a proportionate decline in output, noting that in fragile farming systems even modest cuts can result in much sharper yield losses.

As the conflict continues to affect energy, fertilizer and shipping markets, early action will be needed to mitigate the risk of broader stress on global food systems, he said.