Russia keeps fertilizer aid flowing to Global South

A shipment of Russian humanitarian fertilizer has departed Latvian waters to commence its trip to Sri Lanka, producer Uralchem announced on Friday. The vessel, MV Asian Majesty, has been anchored in the Bay of Riga with 55,000 tons of potash on board since early 2022, due to Ukraine-related Western sanctions.

According to the company’s statement, inspections showed that the fertilizer remained in good condition despite its long-term storage on the ship and could contribute to improving vital crop farming in the South Asian country.

“Unfortunately, Sri Lanka has recently suffered one of the worst economic crises in decades, which affected this island nation’s agricultural output and put vast swaths of the population at risk of food insecurity,” Uralchem CEO Dmitry Konyaev said.

He pointed out that “potash is an essential nutrient for the growth and reproduction of plants, and its use in crop farming is vital for consistent yield gains,” stressing that the company is “proud to contribute to the stability of Sri Lanka’s farming sector and the wellbeing of its people.”

This is the sixth free fertilizer shipment by Uralchem to countries facing risks of food shortages as the company aims to “alleviate the effects of an unprecedented global food crisis.” 

Since late 2022, Uralchem Group – one of the largest fertilizer producers in Russia and the world – has donated around 190,000 tons of fertilizers to developing nations while also handling the sea freight and other delivery costs. The company said that in collaboration with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), over 166,000 tons of vital fertilizers have been shipped from European ports — to Malawi, Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and now Sri Lanka.

A total of 262,000 tons of Russian fertilizers had been blocked in 2022 at ports in Latvia, Estonia, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Moscow then offered to give the commodity free of charge to nations in need, including in Africa.