Farmers across Europe are facing growing pressure from supply disruptions and volatile fertiliser prices.
In response, the European Commission has proposed an initiative to support farmers dealing with rising fertiliser costs and limited availability. The plan aims to strengthen domestic fertiliser production, improve access for farmers and reduce Europe’s dependence on imports.
The fertiliser action plan is intended to help safeguard food security by making fertilisers more accessible and affordable for farmers. Specifically, the Commission will
- deliver exceptional financial support
- present a new liquidity scheme to help with cash flow
- provide stronger incentives for more efficient farming practices
- support farmers in achieving better nutrient management
- propose measures to facilitate the use of digestates, ie. the nutrient-rich material left over by organic waste (like food scraps or manure)
According to a press release, it will also reinforce Europe’s strategic autonomy, by boosting domestic production and by promoting the circular economy and decarbonisation. This will see the Commission:
- take steps to support the domestic fertiliser industry
- encourage the use of organic and bio-based European fertiliser alternatives
- look at incentives for the fertiliser industry that encourage decarbonising production while increasing the production of sustainable fertilisers in the EU, in the context of the upcoming Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) review
- cut unnecessary red tape and market barriers and propose new measures to grow demand for sustainable home-grown fertilisers
- ensure the fertiliser sector has equal access to funding for green innovation and modernisation
Finally, the plan will strengthen market transparency and preparedness, while improving dialogue among stakeholders. To achieve this, the Commission will
- launch an EU fertilisers value chain partnership, bringing together fertiliser producers, farmers and EU countries
- strengthen market monitoring, early-warning capabilities and propose a framework to ensure the availability of regular up-to-date data on fertilisers in the EU
- assess stockpiling and other options for securing key fertilisers and inputs to strengthen preparedness
Fertilisers are essential to agricultural productivity, farm viability and food security, while also representing a major share of farmers’ production costs.
The action plan is the latest step by the European Commission to ensure farmers have reliable access to sufficient quantities of affordable fertilisers, while also making Europe’s agriculture sector more resilient, competitive and sustainable.
