Media: UK risks food supply shortages following Hormuz blockade
Moscow (ANTARA) - The UK risks facing shortages of chicken, pork, and several other commodities this summer due to tensions in the Middle East and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, reports The Times newspaper, citing a secret government analysis.
The government is said to have prepared emergency plans to address the “worst-case scenario”, with concerns that the Hormuz blockade could disrupt supplies of carbon dioxide crucial to the food sector. The plan assumes the blockade will last until June 2026.
Carbon dioxide plays a role in extending the shelf life of products such as salads, packaged meat, and baked goods. The gas is also used in the slaughtering process for nearly all pigs and more than two-thirds of chickens.
The beverage industry also faces risks because carbon dioxide is used to carbonate drinks. Concerns have arisen that a potential beer shortage could occur alongside the FIFA World Cup starting on 11 June.
Nevertheless, no critical food supply shortages are expected, though product variety in stores is likely to decrease, according to the report citing several relevant officials.
In the event of a carbon dioxide shortage, the government will prioritise the nuclear and health sectors, where the gas is used to produce dry ice for cooling donor blood, organs, and vaccines.
If shortages occur, the UK will increase carbon dioxide production by reducing output in other sectors and relaxing anti-monopoly rules.
Government sources assured the media that the worst-case scenario is part of routine planning, not a prediction.
On Saturday (11/4), Iran and the United States (US) held talks in Islamabad after US President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire agreement with Tehran.
On Sunday (12/4), the US delegation leader, Vice President J.D. Vance, stated that both sides failed to reach an agreement.
On Monday (13/4), the US Navy began enforcing a blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for around 20 per cent of the world’s oil, petroleum products, and LNG supplies.
Washington emphasised that non-Iranian vessels can still pass through the Strait of Hormuz as long as they do not pay fees to Tehran. Iranian authorities have not announced the implementation of such levies but have discussed plans in that direction.