EU Provided Clarity On Shipment Of Russian Fertilizers To Global Markets - Spokesman

Sumaira FH Published November 25, 2022 | 11:20 PM

The European Union, together with its partners, has provided necessary clarification to traders that European sanctions against Russia do not apply to food and fertilizer, EU foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano told RIA Novosti on Friday

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th November, 2022) The European Union, together with its partners, has provided necessary clarification to traders that European sanctions against Russia do not apply to food and fertilizer, EU foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano told RIA Novosti on Friday.

On November 23, Dmitry Mazepin, the head of Uralchem, one of Russia's largest producers of mineral fertilizers, during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, 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. Mazepin explained that his company was unable to pay for freight because of the restrictive measures.

According to Stano, the EU, along with the United Kingdom and the United States have published relevant documents stipulating that banks, insurers, transporters and other players can continue international shipments of Russian food and fertilizers.

The sanctions were not originally aimed against trade in Russian agricultural products, including wheat and fertilizers, Stano added.

The shipments of Russian fertilizers is a part of a UN- and Turkey-brokered package agreement signed on July 22, also known as the grain deal, that unblocks exports of Ukrainian and Russian agricultural products in the Black Sea.

Before the deal's expiry on November 19, Russia threatened to not extend the agreement because it saw no results in terms of exports of its own products - grain and fertilizers - to the global markets. The grain deal was renewed for another 120 days last Wednesday.