Dubai's Al Khaleej sugar refinery still open for exports and importsThe comments came as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran entered its sixth day, with vessel traffic through the critical Strait of Hormuz remaining all but halted.

Al Khaleej is heavily dependent on the Strait ​for its roughly 1.6 million tonnes of annual raw sugar imports and ​for the 1.3 million tonnes or so of refined sugar that it ⁠exports annually.

Al-Ghurair, however, said that the company can, if needed, use the ports of ​Fujairah, Khorfakan and Sohar, which lie outside the Strait, to import and export sugar.

The company's ​global customers understand the current situation and are working on it with shipping companies, he added.

Al Khaleej Sugar has around two years of raw sugar reserves if they are not refined and exported outside ​the Gulf region, Al-Ghurair said, adding that the company can provide neighbouring countries with ​sugar if needed.

Gulf states are facing their biggest food security challenge since the 2007/08 global food crisis - ‌when international ⁠prices of staple foods soared - as the region imports 80%-90% of its food.

The United Arab Emirates says its strategic reserves of vital goods can cover four to six months of needs, and has urged residents to report any unjustified price increases through a dedicated ​hotline. Supermarket staff told ​Reuters that shelves ⁠remain largely stocked, though suppliers are taking longer to replenish certain products.

According to sugar consultant Michael McDougall, the Gulf imports roughly 10% of ​the world's raw sugar through the Strait of Hormuz each year, ​while exporting ⁠about 5% of global refined sugar through the chokepoint.

«The longer there is a blockade the worse the problem will get, but the refineries still have some stock», — he said.

Al Khaleej accounts for ⁠nearly ​4% of the world's annual imports of raw sugar ​and more than 4% of global refined sugar exports, according to Reuters calculations based on data from the International ​Sugar Organization