The port of Beira, Mozambique, unloads the first batch of 20,000 tons of Russian fertilizer destined for Africa, which was agreed with the UN after the sanctions imposed due to the war in Ukraine.
“We are unloading the MV Greenwich” with 20,400 tons of fertilizer “destined for the Republic of Malawi,” said Miguel de Genga, COO of Cornelder Mozambique, the terminal operator.
The operation began “two days ago” after the ship docked and Mozambique became a transit country for cargo important to agricultural activities in the region.
The lack of fertilizers and agro-industrial products caused prices to rise, especially in Africa.
The British-flagged MV Greenwich left New Zealand on November 29, chartered by the World Food Program (WFP).
Russian fertilizer company Uralchem-Uralkali agreed in mid-November to export humanitarian supplies to Africa that had been blocked in warehouses in Belgium, the Netherlands and Estonia as part of sanctions imposed on Russia in response to the war in Ukraine.
The shipment is the first in a series of Russian deliveries to African countries that have been blocked in European ports and donated by a Russian firm.
In total, the donation is 260,000 tons and, according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, will help “alleviate humanitarian needs and avoid a catastrophic crop loss in Africa in the middle of the planting season.”
The initiative is part of an agreement that Ukraine and Russia concluded in July with the support of Turkey and the UN, which also allowed the resumption of Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea.
Although Western sanctions against Russia do not apply to food and fertilizers, Moscow says its exports of these products have all but stopped due to restrictions from logistics companies or difficulties in securing supplies.
The UN has been warning for months about the danger posed by a 250% spike in fertilizer prices since 2019, putting fertilizer out of reach for many farmers in developing countries.
Consequently, the UN fears that the crop will be damaged, causing a severe food crisis, mainly in Africa.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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