Russian fertilizer producer Uralchem-Uralkali has agreed with the Netherlands, Estonia and Belgium to supply cargoes of fertilizer stranded in those countries to Africa, the TASS news agency reported on Saturday.
For the latest headlines, follow our Google news feed online or via the app.
He quoted Uralchem director Dmitry Konyaev as saying the group was “actively working with the UN to organize free deliveries to Africa of more than 262,000 tonnes of mineral fertilizers that have been ‘frozen’ in EU countries”.
The Netherlands said on Friday that, following a United Nations request, it would allow the shipment to Malawi of 20,000 tonnes of Russian fertilizer that had been stuck in the port of Rotterdam due to sanctions against a Russian individual, whom it did not identify.
He said a condition of the deal was that the sanctioned person and the Russian company would gain nothing from the transaction.
TASS quoted Konyaev as saying that agreements had been reached to export fertilizer stranded in the Netherlands, Belgium and Estonia, but he did not specify the quantities from each country or the African destinations.
According to UN officials, the first shipment of donated fertilizers is expected to head to Malawi next week.
Russian grain and fertilizer exports are not directly blocked by Western sanctions over the Ukraine war, but Moscow has complained that they are being disrupted because the sanctions affect access to finance, insurance and ports.
Read more:
White House hails Ukraine’s ‘extraordinary victory’ in Kherson
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy celebrates “historic day” as forces enter Kherson
Ukrainian troops joyfully gathered in Kherson as Russia abandoned the biggest prize
