Russia is preparing free fertilizer shipments to Kenya & Nigeria

On Friday, Russia’s deputy foreign minister stated that Moscow is organizing two free fertilizer shipments to Kenya and Nigeria.

Sergey Vershinin, speaking to the Rossiya 24 TV program, stated that Russia wants to convey its restricted fertilizers to the countries that need them the most.

When asked about the continuation of the Istanbul grain deal, officially known as the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the ambassador said it relied on making “tangible progress” on major issues that prevent Russian agricultural products and fertilizers from entering the global market.

“The conditions for the transaction’s extension remain the reconnection of the Rosselkhoznadzor to SWIFT, the resumption of the supply of spare parts and maintenance of agricultural machinery, the reinsurance of agricultural goods and the lifting of the ban on their access to ports, and the lifting of sanctions from Russian companies and their owners engaged in the production of food and fertilizers,” he said.

Previously, Moscow pledged to contribute to underprivileged countries 262,000 tons of Russian fertilizer that had been stranded in the ports of Latvia, Estonia, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

The Netherlands supplied the first and only shipment of 20,000 tons to Malawi.

Last month, President Vladimir Putin stated that officials from numerous African countries contacted him about the potential of obtaining Russian fertilizers.

Russia is the world’s largest fertilizer exporter. In March, it agreed to a 60-day extension of the grain arrangement, which was negotiated by Turkey and the United Nations last July to move agricultural products from three Black Sea ports in Ukraine.

The shipments were halted by Russia’s “special military operation” in February of last year.

Moscow says it may not renew the agreement past mid-May unless the West lowers barriers to food and fertilizer exports.