OREANDA-NEWS  Europe is threatened by its dependence on imports of Russian fertilizers, according to Svein Tore Holsether, the executive director of the Norwegian chemical company Yara International. In an interview with the Financial Times, Holsether said that Europe is unknowingly becoming increasingly dependent on Russia for its fertilizer needs, similar to its dependence on Russian gas in the past.

Nitrogen fertilizers, essential for plant growth, are manufactured using natural gas. Russia has been increasing its exports of these fertilizers to Europe, and Holsether believes that this trend will continue. He likened fertilizers to gas, stating that they are both important resources that Europe relies on.

According to data from Eurostat, European Union (EU) imports of the most popular nitrogen fertilizer, urea, from Russia doubled in the year prior to June 2023. Russian imports have decreased this season, but they continue to account for a significant portion of the total supply of urea in Europe.