Prague, Czech Republic, Sep 16 – EU agriculture ministers on Friday studied ways to fix a critical scarcity of fertiliser in Europe caused by the war in Ukraine and supply gaps from Russia.
Among the measures being looked at was a European Commission proposal to lift import tariffs on ammonia and urea imports to help producers needing those ingredients for nitrogen fertiliser and bring down soaring prices.
The price of fertilisers using nitrogen, phosphorous or potassium have tripled over the past year and a half, and with supply cuts from Russia — which used to be world’s number one supplier — farmers are struggling.
The situation has worsened as European fertiliser makers shut down ammonia-based production because it uses natural gas, which has now become costly and also in short supply, in large part because of the war.
EU countries will formally decide on the idea of lifting import tariffs at a September 26 meeting in Brussels.
EU agriculture commissioner Janusz Wojciechowsk said the commission was also looking to diversify its suppliers, turning notably to Canada, which boasts a large sector in ammonia fertiliser.
France and Spain are also calling for a longer-term strategy of boosting European fertiliser production as a strategic necessity for the bloc’s agricultural output.
