In 2021, export deliveries of Russian mineral fertilizers grew by less than 10%, which is half the dynamics of the domestic market, the press service of the Russian Fertilizer Producers Association (RAPU) reports.
According to the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, last year, agricultural producers increased their purchases of mineral fertilizers by almost 20%, to 4,7 million tons (in terms of 100% nutrients - a.i.). Taking into account the accumulated resources, the total volume of purchases increased to 5 million tons of a.e.
The driver of export growth (24,2%) was potash fertilizers, which is associated with the launch of new production facilities by the enterprises participating in the RAPU. The relatively insignificant increase in foreign trade in nitrogen and complex fertilizers - 5,3% and 3,2%, respectively - is explained by the growth of domestic demand and the priority of the domestic market.
Maxim Kuznetsov, Executive Director of RAPU, emphasized that the domestic agro-industrial complex always acts as a strategic priority consumer for the Russian mineral fertilizer industry: “Agrarians of our country annually purchase more domestic mineral fertilizers than any of the almost 150 countries importing Russian products.”
The expert noted that the plan of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture for the purchase of mineral fertilizers by farmers in 2021 was overfulfilled, and the plan for the supply of fertilizers to the domestic market this year is being fully implemented: at present, the mineral fertilizer most in demand by farmers - ammonium nitrate - is used exclusively for the needs of the Russian agro-industrial complex and mining industry.
The RAPU Executive Director also recalled that by 2025, according to the plan of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, the domestic agro-industrial complex will purchase at least 8 million tons of a.i. mineral fertilizers. In this regard, for the next six years, RAPU participants have planned about 2 trillion rubles of capital investments in the expansion of production. As a result of their investment activity since 2013, by 2026 the production capacity of the industry will almost double.