Hormuz strait crisis could reopen door for Turkey’s “grain corridor” Role

Recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran have disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for energy and agricultural trade. Experts believe Turkey, already involved in the Grain Corridor, could help establish a new trade corridor to stabilize supplies.

Prof. Bulent Gulcubuk from Ankara University’s Faculty of Agriculture noted that closing the strait would increase energy, fertilizer, transportation, and insurance costs for the global agricultural sector. He explained that nearly all stages of production and distribution—from fuel and electricity to storage and transport—depend on energy, so even short-term disruptions strongly affect prices.

Gulcubuk emphasized that the hardest hit would be developing countries or those facing food security challenges. He believes Turkey could become an important regional hub, ensuring stable movement of food and energy, similar to its role during the Grain Corridor amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

Turkey could use its ports, storage facilities, and trade networks to maintain the flow of goods, which would enhance the country’s food security, increase transit revenues, and create new logistics jobs.

Prof. Zeki Bayramoglu, head of Agricultural Economics at Selcuk University, pointed out that the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz goes far beyond energy. About one-third of global fertilizer shipments, including sulfur and ammonia, pass through the strait, which is critical for modern agriculture.

He added that there are practically no alternative routes for large vessels, so disruptions in the strait could significantly reduce fertilizer supply, affecting global prices and product availability.

Bayramoglu compared the Hormuz crisis with the 2022 Black Sea crisis, when closure of a key maritime route disrupted food shipments. He proposed a “Safe Passage Initiative for Food and Fertilizers,” coordinated from Istanbul with participation of importing countries, exporters, logistics firms, and international organizations.

According to him, Turkey has already demonstrated its ability to mediate in such situations, but this requires government readiness and technical capacity for rapid crisis response.

Tags: Turkey, Black Sea grain corridor