Russia Lowers Fertilizer Export Tariffs: “A Clever Plan to Make European Industry and Agriculture Dependent. We Call for Urgent Action”.
“We no longer have the luxury of turning a blind eye to the economic offensive that Russia and Belarus are conducting in Europe. Yesterday, as I drove through one of the city districts, I saw a line of trucks waiting to enter the port. This is the same place where just a few weeks ago, union members from Zakłady Chemiczne Police protested, pointing out that Belarusian raw materials, which are not under embargo, are being transshipped here. The situation is concerning, and we call on Polish politicians to finally address this issue and pressure the European Union to limit the influence of raw materials from countries like Russia and Belarus on the European market,” appeals Hanna Mojsiuk, President of the Northern Chamber of Commerce in Szczecin.
A Blow to Anwil and Grupa Azoty
According to Hanna Mojsiuk, President of the Northern Chamber of Commerce in Szczecin, a letter is currently being prepared for Prime Minister Donald Tusk, along with an open letter to Polish MEPs, urging them to urgently address the issue of Russian and Belarusian fertilizers and fertilizer components entering the European market.
Hanna Mojsiuk reports that the Northern Chamber of Commerce is increasingly receiving signals about the transshipment of suspicious cargo, likely fertilizers or raw materials not subject to embargoes, which directly compete with products from companies like Zakłady Chemiczne Police.
“Russia is a clever player. Their goal is to make Europe dependent on the products they produce. This allows them to continue financing the war and strengthening their domestic economy. European companies are looking for cheaper alternatives, and while we can’t blame them, we cannot allow the Polish chemical sector to be driven to collapse because we enable European agriculture to become dependent on cheap, unregulated fertilizers and raw materials,” says Hanna Mojsiuk.
“Russian Cunning” and Effective Ways to Circumvent Embargoes
Hanna Mojsiuk adds that “Russian cunning” is visible in many areas and poses a significant danger to our economy.
“Fertilizers cannot become another weapon that Russia uses to make our industry and agriculture dependent. It may seem harmless since these shipments don’t appear Russian, but that is their origin. The amount of mineral fertilizers imported from Russia to Poland in the first nine months of 2024 increased by 140%, reaching 952,000 tons. This is an alarming scale and explains the dire state of Zakłady Chemiczne Police and the entire Grupa Azoty,” says Hanna Mojsiuk.
“Russia recently reduced its fertilizer export tariff. The rate was cut from 10% to 7%, which is significant and will impact fertilizer prices. We need to make the European Union aware of the situation we are facing,” adds Hanna Mojsiuk.
She emphasizes that tariffs on Russian raw materials should apply to the whole of Europe, not individual countries. Otherwise, if one country imposes tariffs while others do not, economic disparities will increase, reducing the competitiveness of countries that oppose Russian influence in Europe.
Source: Manager Plus
