FERTILISER PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

Submitted by the Liberal Democrats UK, FDP Germany & German Group of LI (DGLI)

The 63rd Congress of the Liberal International, convening in Sofia, Bulgaria, on 30 June  to 2 July 2022: 

Notes with concern that:

• the price of nitrogenous fertilisers to farmers has tripled since the beginning of 2022 and available supplies in many countries is severely limited.
• Russia has a dominant position in the world nitrogenous fertiliser market due to the main raw material for its manufacture being natural gas and Belarus is a major source of potash.
• The economic optimum levels of fertiliser application are reduced at such high prices and the inevitable outcome will be lower yields, thereby exacerbating the ongoing food crisis.

Calls for all LI member parties to: 

• Urge all governments with fertiliser plants on their territory to prioritise gas supplies for fertiliser manufacture for the duration of the crisis.
• Press the UN and its FAO to intervene in ensuring sufficient fertiliser supplies reach farmers worldwide to limit the future extent of food shortages. 
• In the longer term to advocate the development of green hydrogen production to reduce the fertiliser dependence on natural gas.