New batch of free Russian fertilizer arrives in Africa (VIDEO)
Over 23,000 metric tons of free Russian potash and NPKS fertilizer has arrived in Zimbabwe, the press service for Uralchem Group reported on Wednesday.
The shipment is Uralchem’s fifth humanitarian delivery to support productive and sustainable farming in Africa and to ease the impact of the global food crisis, according to the Russian company, which is one of the world’s largest fertilizer producers.
“Fertilizers serve as a cornerstone of food security, as they are essential for maintaining stable food production,” Uralchem CEO Dmitry Konyaev said.
“As a major supplier of mineral fertilizers to global markets, and driven by our unwavering mission to eradicate hunger, we recognize our critical role in safeguarding food security in regions affected by shortages.”
Uralchem is “pleased to see the humanitarian shipment reach Zimbabwe, where local farmers will soon be able to utilize our fertilizers and grow bountiful harvests,” Konyaev added.
The UN World Food Program (WFP) helped to facilitate the latest delivery, chartering a bulk carrier to transport the fertilizer. Uralchem Group handled the sea freight and other delivery costs, as it has done with previous joint shipments.
To date, the group has sent over 134,000 tons of fertilizers to the continent free of charge. In collaboration with the WFP, over 111,000 tons have been shipped from European ports and warehouses to Malawi, Nigeria, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.
Uralchem announced last month that a delivery of 23,000 metric tons of fertilizers had been fully offloaded at the port of Beira in Mozambique. From there, the consignment was delivered to Zimbabwe by land.
At the end of January, 34,000 metric tons of free Russian potash reached the port of Onne in Nigeria.
The use of modern fertilizer is seen among the key ways of tackling food insecurity in Africa, along with infrastructure development, the diversification of food import sources, and the creation of a domestic agricultural base.
According to a recent Food Security Report, just one undelivered kilogram of fertilizers translates into the loss of seven kilograms of harvest.
