Restricting fertilizer trade reduces food supply, highlights minister

When participating in the opening of the 9th Brazilian Fertilizer Congress, in São Paulo, the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa), Marcos Montes, defended that the fertilizer trade should not be restricted or subject to sanctions due to international conflicts, mainly due to conflict involving Russia and Ukraine

The minister highlighted that the lack of these inputs, essential for crops, directly affects food production. “Restricting trade in these inputs affects field productivity; reduces food availability; reinforces the inflationary trend of the main commodities and, as a final consequence, threatens global food security, especially in the most vulnerable nations”, he said at the event, promoted by the National Association for the Diffusion of Fertilizers (Anda).

Marcos Montes recalled that, since the beginning of the conflict, Brazil has defended in international forums, such as the United Nations, free trade in fertilizers and for products to be excluded from sanctions applied by major powers. Last Saturday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the removal of barriers to fertilizer exports from Russia, one of the world's main suppliers.

“Fertilizers are central elements in the formation of prices for the main agricultural commodities. Furthermore, they are essential to guarantee increasing productivity rates, promoting greater efficiency in land use and reducing the impacts of agricultural production on the climate”.

Despite the conflict, the flow of fertilizer deliveries to Brazilian rural producers was maintained, meeting the demand for the current harvest. 

The minister also highlighted the National Fertilizer Plan, which aims to adopt medium and long-term measures to reduce external dependence on inputs, strengthening policies to increase the competitiveness of production and distribution of fertilizers in the country in a sustainable manner. Brazil is currently responsible for around 10% of global fertilizer consumption, ranking fourth, behind only China, India and the United States. However, more than 80% of fertilizers come from foreign markets, such as Russia, China and Canada.

Also participating in the opening of the congress were the president of the Anda Board of Directors, Eduardo Monteiro; the Secretary of Agriculture and Supply of São Paulo, Francisco Maturro; and the Special Secretary for Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of the Republic, Flávio Augusto Rocha.

The congress foresees debates on market analysis, business management, ESG and innovation and the impacts of the pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine on the sector.