ROME, March 28. /TASS/. Despite the reduction in the total volume of fertilizer supplies to unfriendly countries, Russia retains first place in the export of nitrogen fertilizers to EU countries, Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and other international organizations in Rome Igor Golubovsky told TASS.

He attributed this trend to a reduction in European production of this product.

"Due to high gas prices, production of nitrogen fertilizers in the EU fell in 2022 and never recovered. Amid reduced gas supplies from Russia to Europe, Russian chemical companies increased sales of gas processing products to this market in 2023. Thus, last year, former buyers of Russian gas in Europe significantly increased the import of nitrogen fertilizers," the diplomat said.

In particular, in 2023, Germany has almost doubled purchases of nitrogen fertilizers compared to 2022 while in comparison with 2021 they soared more than seven times. In 2023, France increased imports by about a quarter compared to 2022 and purchased twice as much as in 2021.

At the same time, the total volumes of all types of fertilizers exported to unfriendly countries in 2022 fell by a quarter, the diplomat noted.

FAO experts have long warned about the dangers of fertilizer shortages for global food security. Rising prices for these products pose a threat to agriculture in the most vulnerable countries.