Ripple effects of oil and fertiliser shortage felt by farmers in India and Sri Lanka despite governments saying there is enough stock to go round

Experts say South Asian countries such as India and Sri Lanka are particularly vulnerable, due to their heavy reliance on imported fertilisers and imported gas and fuel for farming. India is the world’s second-largest fertiliser consumer after China, using more than 60m tonnes annually, and most of its exports – including both finished products and raw materials – usually come from Gulf countries, shipped through the strait of Hormuz.

In countries such as India, the ripple effects of a gas and fertiliser shortage could be felt for months to come, affecting what crops farmers are able to plant and how much they yield, which could ultimately translate into stockpiles of essential produce such as rice falling short.

The ability for farmers to water, harvest, process, store and transport crops will also be drastically hit by oil and diesel shortages and surging electricity prices, triggering further worries over shortages.