Sri Lanka, April 10 -- Rising prices and limited fertiliser availability are causing deep concern for the Planters' Association of Ceylon (PA) as the Middle East crisis escalates. Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dropped by 90% following its closure, disrupting global supply chains for one-third of raw fertiliser materials that typically pass through the region. Iran, a key global supplier of urea, remains central to these disruptions.

While the PA welcomed the government's increase of the fertiliser subsidy to Rs. 18,000 to protect food security, the association warned of severe long-term consequences. The next two to four months are critical for annual crop yields, and failure to secure supplies could negatively impact the...