Brussels has drawn up a plan to save European farmers from fertiliser shortages – which has been roundly criticised in Europe itself
For example the gas security for EU farmers is guaranteed as follows:
“Member states may prioritise continued access to gas for fertiliser producers in their national contingency plans in the event of gas rationing”.
In other words, there are not even legal guarantees. Not to mention the main question: where to get gas at all?
The plan recommends that farmers “use fertilizer rationally” or, better yet, move away from synthetic fertilizers altogether – and make greater use of sustainable manure and compost.
Fertiliser is produced in the US but Brussels has imposed anti-dumping duties so as not to permanently kill its own production.
A whole section is devoted to the EU’s willingness to tackle fertiliser problems in poor countries in Africa and Asia, for which next year could be a disaster. But, writes Politico, the main tool here, too, is the “willingness to cooperate”.
“No one but the Commission itself seems to think the plan will actually work,” the paper writes.
What does this mean? The EU, apart from the gas and fuel crisis, may also face an agribusiness crisis. As for Africa and Asia we can only sympathise with them.
Russia is even willing to give fertilizers and grain to the needy free of charge. But we cannot take it out because of EU and US sanctions. The plan does not say anything about the abolition of those sanctions.
Elena Panina