Brief
India warns of looming food crisis as El Niño and wars strain supplies
Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar warned that combined climate and geopolitical shocks could spark a major food crisis.
By Felo News Desk · Published
India’s foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar told an Asia Society event in New York that the world faces a "major food crisis" in the coming months, citing the combined impact of a super El Niño, the war in Ukraine and Middle‑East conflicts.
What happened
Jaishankar said the two wars have a "devastating impact" on Global South economies, tightening energy, food, fertiliser and finance markets simultaneously. He warned that major grain exporters, especially those using Black Sea routes, may be unable to ship supplies, and that fertiliser shortages are rising as producers in the Middle East and Russia face disruptions.
What the reports add
The Independent noted that oil prices have risen sharply, with Brent crude on track for a 14% monthly gain, after U.S. President Donald Trump denied easing sanctions on Iran. It also cited Reuters data on record‑high European diesel futures and reduced diesel exports from Russia and the Gulf.
What was said
"If you have energy as a big crunch and then food and fertilisers on top of it, and finance, because every time there's a conflict, money moves towards safe harbours and away from the Global South, the net result of it has been really very, very stressful," Jaishankar told the audience, according to the Independent.
"On top of it, we are looking at a super El Niño, so there is going to be a major food crisis probably in the coming months," he added.
How it came about
Jaishankar’s warning follows his recent remarks on food waste at the same Asia Society event, where he urged zero‑waste kitchens (Felo coverage). The current climate outlook, described in Felo’s "Super El Niño Winter Outlook" article, predicts an unusually strong El Niño this fall, adding to concerns about agricultural productivity.
Key facts
- India’s foreign minister warned of a major food crisis in the coming months. (independent.co.uk)
- He linked the risk to a super El Niño, the Ukraine war and Middle‑East conflicts. (independent.co.uk)
- Brent crude is on track for a 14% monthly gain, the biggest since July. (independent.co.uk)
- Fertiliser shortages are mounting due to disruptions in the Middle East and Russia. (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “India warns of major ‘food crisis’ in coming months amid El Nino and global conflicts”
