Cooperation with Russia continues at its best. Industry warns minister against “Irish variant”

On Wednesday, Minister of Agriculture Czesław Siekierski, Deputy Ministers Michał Kołodziejczak and Adam Nowak met with representatives of the Polish Chamber of Chemical Industry and the fertilizer production sector in Poland. Industry representatives pointed out that the growth of fertilizer imports from Russia and Belarus to Poland has doubled over the year. Their data shows that in the 2022/2023 season, the share of imports in the domestic fertilizer market reached 56 percent.

Imports of Russian fertilizers are growing

They warned that further increases in fertilizer imports could result in Polish producers being forced out of the market and the occurrence of an “Irish variant, in which, after liquidating its own production, there was a significant increase in fertilizer prices.”

Czesław Siekierski said that this is a good time for such postulates, because the ministry he leads is starting work on amending the act on fertilizers and fertilization. He added that “it is important to establish the most important tasks that belong to the Ministry of Agriculture, because the fertilizer production sector is within the competence of many ministries.” He would like to discuss this at the next meeting, which will also be attended by representatives of other ministries, within whose competence the solutions proposed by the sector lie. Work is starting in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on amending the act on fertilizers and fertilization.

In Poland, the largest producer of fertilizers is Grupa Azoty and Anwil, which belongs to Grupa Orlen. In August 2022, Grupa Azoty was forced to suspend part of its production, including ammonia and nitrogen fertilizers, due to the high prices of gas, which is the raw material for their production. During this period, gas prices in the Dutch hub TTF, which is a reference point for the whole of Europe, reached EUR 270-280 per MWh.