Fertiliser prices start falling

Business Writer

WITH summer planting season approaching, fertilizer prices are easing from the records due to Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Prices have been soaring since February this year after Russia launched military operations in Ukraine with local prices at some point hitting nearly US$80 for a 50 kilogramme bag of ammonium nitrate (AN).

With Russia’s status as a primary exporter of ammonia, knock-on effects from sanctions imposed on the country by western countries over its military operations in Ukraine have disrupted the supply chain.

Last year, Russia and Belarus accounted for 40 percent of global exports of potash.

Russia also accounted for 22 percent of global exports of ammonia gas, 14 percent of global urea exports and 14 percent of mono ammonium phosphate.

Some Harare outlets surveyed by this publication showed prices ranging between US$44 and $68 per 50 kg bag of ammonium nitrate and between US$53 and US$70 for urea.

Compounds are ranging between U$53 and US$68.

Zimbabwe has 12 fertiliser companies with the newer ones being involved in making blended NPK compounds. Out of these, three are involved in the primary production of raw materials. These are Dorowa Minerals, which mines phosphate rock in Buhera. The phosphate converted to fertiliser grade by ZimPhos in Harare.

Sable Chemical in Kwekwe produces AN from imported ammonia following decommissioning of its electrolysis plant three years ago.

At the secondary level, three companies are involved in granulation and these are ZFC, Windmill and FSG.