MOSCOW, 13 April 2026 — Russia has called for the creation of joint food reserves with BRICS members and neighbouring countries to mitigate global food security risks arising from the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Alexander Maslennikov, deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council, said cooperation with partner nations is crucial as disruptions to fertilizer supply and logistics threaten agricultural output worldwide.
“To ensure food security, it is highly important to expand cooperation with friendly countries, primarily the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union and BRICS, including through the creation of joint food reserves,” Maslennikov said.
Fertilizer Supply Disruptions Raise Risks
The proposal comes as the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route along Iran’s coast, has been largely closed since the conflict began. About one-third of global fertilizer trade previously passed through the waterway.
With roughly half of global food production dependent on fertilizer, Maslennikov warned that prolonged shortages could sharply reduce agricultural yields.
If the fertilizer shortage persists until early summer, yields of major crops could fall by as much as half, potentially triggering the sharpest rise in global food inflation in recent years, he said.
He added that the number of hungry people worldwide could rise to a record 673 million.
Global Institutions Warn of Food Price Pressure
The World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the U.N. World Food Programme recently warned that rising oil, gas and fertilizer prices triggered by the Middle East conflict would push food prices higher and worsen food insecurity.
Russia, the world’s largest wheat exporter and a major fertilizer producer, is also looking to expand agricultural exports by 50% by 2030, although it lacks capacity to significantly increase fertilizer output this year.
Maslennikov said the current situation creates both risks and opportunities.
“Russia is in a strong position to increase food exports to the countries of the Middle East, as well as to Asia, Africa and Latin America,” he said.
BRICS Cooperation in Focus
Russia’s Security Council, chaired by President Vladimir Putin, shapes major national security decisions. Putin is scheduled to meet Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto in Moscow, with food security expected to be among the topics discussed.
Egypt, also a BRICS member, is currently the largest importer of Russian wheat, while Russia exports significant volumes to China and India.
The Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union also includes grain exporter Kazakhstan alongside Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, further supporting regional food supply coordination.
