Russian Fertilizer Giant Uralchem-Uralkali Delivers First Humanitarian Batch To Malawi

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th March, 2023) Uralchem-Uralkali Group, one of Russia's largest producers of mineral fertilizers, said on Monday that it had delivered 20,000 tonnes of complex fertilizers to Malawi in the first humanitarian shipment from the territory of the European Union to Africa.

"Uralchem-Uralkali Group donated 20,000 tonnes of NPK (nitrogen / phosphorus / potassium) fertiliser to Malawi. The official handover ceremony was held on 6 March 2023 near the capital Lilongwe," the company said in a statement, adding that the ceremony was attended by Malawian Agriculture Minister Sam Dalitso Kawale and Russian Ambassador to Malawi and Zimbabwe Nikolai Krasilnikov.

The delivery of fertilizers to the African nation was done in close cooperation with the UN World Food Programme, aiming to address the global food crisis, according to Uralchem.

"The shipment is the Group's first humanitarian consignment from the European Union to Africa. It's also a part of Uralchem-Uralkali's commitment to donating approximately 300,000 tonnes of mineral fertilisers to developing countries," the firm stated.

In November, Uralchem said that the ports of Estonia, Latvia, Belgium and the Netherlands blocked more than 260,000 tonnes of the company's fertilizers. In addition, other Russian fertilizer producers Akron and EuroChem have also faced the block of 52,000 tonnes and almost 100,000 tonnes, respectively. Head of Uralchem Dmitry Mazepin explained that his company was unable to pay for freight because of the restrictive measures.

Moscow has offered to supply Russian fertilizers blocked in the ports of Latvia, Estonia, Belgium and the Netherlands to the poorest countries free of charge. The shipments to Malawi became the first and only batch of Russian fertilizers stuck in Europe since September 2022 that was sent to Africa. The remaining cargo still cannot leave European ports.