Russian Fertilizer Company Considers Donating 55,000 Tonnes of Potassium Chloride to Sri Lanka

MOSCOW: Uralchem-Uralkali Group, a major Russian mineral fertilizer producer, has announced that it is considering sending a humanitarian shipment to Sri Lanka containing 55,000 tonnes of Potassium Chloride that has been blocked in Riga, Latvia since March 2022 due to sanctions. The company is also planning to send its next shipment to Nigeria.

The Uralchem-Uralkali Group has stated that they are considering shipping approximately 55 tonnes of Potassium Chloride, which has been on board the Asian Majesty vessel in the port of Riga for more than a year, to Sri Lanka.

According to the company, Uralchem-Uralkali Group has already delivered approximately 54,000 tonnes of mineral fertilizers to African nations from a total of more than 260,000 tonnes that were stalled in European warehouses and ports in 2022.

The Uralchem-Uralkali Group announced its plans to donate approximately 300,000 tonnes of mineral fertilizers to developing countries. Nigeria is expected to be the next recipient of this generous donation. In addition, the company shared that the construction of a new harbor transshipment complex for Ammonia and mineral fertilizers in the southern city of Taman will help address the issue of the blocked Tolyatti-Odessa Ammonia pipeline.

The newly constructed terminal located in Taman is set to operate at its maximum design capacity, providing a partial solution to the problem of the congested Tolyatti-Odessa Ammonia pipeline. The first line, specifically designed to handle a cargo turnover of up to 2 million tonnes of Ammonia annually, is expected to commence operations by the close of 2023. Upon completion of the project's second phase, the complex's capacity will increase to 3.5 million tonnes of Ammonia and 1.5 million tonnes of Carbamide per year. By the end of 2025, the complex will be capable of handling a total of 5 million tonnes of Ammonia each year.

The company has stated that it is currently exploring multiple options regarding the matter. Their focus on grain traders stems from the crucial role they play in ensuring the safe delivery of grain to international markets and sustaining food security in various regions across the globe.

The Uralchem-Uralkali Group recently announced their plans of potentially acquiring assets in Russia that belong to foreign grain traders looking to exit the country. Back in November, the company faced a setback when over 260,000 tonnes of their fertilizers were blocked by ports in Estonia, Latvia, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The fertilizers were intended to be donated to African countries, but due to sanctions, the company was unable to pay for freight charges and requested assistance from the UN.

In November 2022, the Uralchem-Uralkali Group dispatched its maiden humanitarian shipment of 20,000 tonnes of fertilizers from a Dutch port to Malawi via Mozambique. The shipment arrived in March 2023. Currently, a new batch of 34,000 tonnes of fertilizers intended for Kenya has been loaded onto a cargo ship in Riga and is en route to reach the southeastern Kenyan port of Mombasa by late April 2023.