Strait of Hormuz Blockade Sparks Food Supply Pressure and Price Hikes in Gulf Nations

Tehran. The strategic Strait of Hormuz being blocked due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia has placed severe pressure on the food supply systems in the Gulf countries. The direct impact of this is beginning to be seen in consumer prices. Although there is no shortage of goods in the market, daily living costs have increased as prices have started to rise sharply.

Mahmoud Ali, a consumer in Bahrain, stated that while goods are readily available in supermarkets, the prices of some food items have increased significantly in recent days. According to him, the price of meat, in particular, has nearly doubled. Since Bahrain, like most Gulf countries, relies on imports for food supply, the disruption in the supply route has directly affected prices.

Following the Israel-US attack against Iran that began on February 28, regional conflict escalated, leading to the near-total halt of shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Cargo processing at major ports in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain has either been suspended or significantly reduced.

According to economist Frederick Schneider, air freight is also not operating at full capacity due to continuous drone and missile attacks.

This situation has rendered the major maritime gateways of the Gulf ineffective. Access to centers like Abu Dhabi's ports, Dubai's Jebel Ali, and Saudi Arabia's Dammam is virtually blocked, and ships are being diverted to alternative ports in Oman and south of the Strait.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, is attempting to establish itself as an alternative supply hub via the Red Sea and open air corridors. Saudi Arabia has announced initiatives to add new logistics routes and operational corridors to manage cargo diverted from eastern ports to resolve traffic disruptions.

An increase in heavy truck traffic has been observed at the border area heading towards Qatar, signaling increased use of land routes. However, experts say that land routes connecting to the Mediterranean via Syria or Jordan are limited, expensive, and insufficient.

Fresh food items, in particular, have been the most affected, as they are often imported from Asia and cannot be stored for long periods. In this situation, the preparedness of the Gulf countries varies.

Saudi Arabia has alternative access via the Red Sea, while the UAE has stated it has reserves sufficient for four to six months. Qatar also invested significantly in strategic stockpiling after the 2017 blockade.

However, countries like Bahrain and Kuwait have begun to feel the direct impact. In Kuwait, after crowds surged in supermarkets in the initial days, the government took steps to control the prices of some basic commodities and suspend subsidized meat imports.

According to Kuwaiti officials, although overall prices appear stable, the cost of meat and fish has increased by more than 30 percent, caused by the halt in fishing activities and the disruption of imports from Iran, India, and Pakistan.

The private sector is also trying to manage the supply. Lulu Retail Chain stated that it maintains four to six months of inventory for non-perishable goods and is operating special flights to bring in fresh food items. The company reported that over six thousand tons of fresh supplies have been imported via 37 chartered flights so far, and the additional cost incurred has not been immediately passed on to consumers.

According to analyst Schneider, although price increases currently appear controlled, there is a concrete risk that the price of imported food items will rise further if the conflict continues for a long time. Therefore, the Hormuz blockade appears to be emerging not just as a strategic crisis but as a long-term challenge linked to food security for the Gulf region.