Russian fertilizer company increases ship-outs to Africa

(MENAFN) Uralchem, one of Russia’s leading fertilizer producers, has announced plans to significantly increase its fertilizer exports to Africa, aiming to reach 5 million metric tons annually by 2030. The company’s CEO, Dmitry Konyaev, outlined the expansion strategy during the ‘Russia-Africa Business Dialogue’ at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Thursday.

Konyaev highlighted that Uralchem’s exports to Africa currently stand at 1 million metric tons per year, and increasing that fivefold within the decade would mark major progress for both the company and African agriculture. He noted that African nations imported just 10 million tons of fertilizer in total by the end of 2024—a figure he called disproportionately low given the continent’s needs.

He attributed the limited distribution of fertilizers to structural obstacles such as poor transport infrastructure and complex payment systems, which result in African farmers often paying more than their European counterparts for the same products—something he labeled “absurd.”

To overcome these hurdles, Uralchem plans to set up joint ventures with African governments and has already started operations in South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire.

Mikhail Rybnikov, CEO of fellow Russian fertilizer producer PhosAgro, noted that their products are increasingly being exported to countries such as South Africa, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Cameroon, and Morocco. He emphasized their role in bolstering food security and agricultural independence across Africa.

Since 2022, Uralchem has donated over 134,000 tons of fertilizer to African countries. More than 111,000 tons have been delivered to nations including Malawi, Nigeria, Kenya, and Zimbabwe in cooperation with the UN World Food Program.

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