PhosAgro, a chemical holding company producing fertilizers and phosphates in Russia, recently presented its eco-label for mineral fertilizers to participants and visitors at Green Week 2020, held in Berlin. The Green Week, an annual international food, horticulture & agriculture exhibition, features exhibits from across the globe, including Russia. The eco-label, part of the national brand Green Standard, was first introduced at the Golden Autumn exhibition in 2019. It is a labelling system used in Russia for production of environment-friendly mineral fertilizers, assuring compliance with national standards. Russia’s federal standards for producing eco-friendly mineral fertilizers consist of more stringent requirements than the EU regulations. Russia’s introduction of eco-label is aimed at conforming to the stringent regulations regarding the levels of toxic compounds and potentially harmful elements in mineral fertilizers, such as cadmium. In 2019, the European Union decided to restrict the sales of phosphate-based fertilizers that contain more than 60 mg of Cd/kg of P2O5 from 2022. However, mineral fertilizers with low cadmium levels, i.e. 20 mg/kg of P2O5 can now be marked as products that conform to environmental standards. Sergey Pronin, Deputy CEO of Sales and Marketing at PhosAgro and a member of the Russian Fertilizer Producers Association Management Board, has stated that Russian mineral fertilizers will be widely adopted as countries are increasingly focusing on meticulous production of crops and identification of critical factors restricting plants’ growth. These eco-friendly fertilizers distinguished by labels marking their Russian origin and superior environmental performance will be highly effective in maximizing agricultural yields. Mr. Pronin added that promoting the sales of mineral fertilizers with high environmental performance in Western markets can help expand Russia’s fertilizer companies’ footprint, internationally, by exporting its labelled products. He further stated that the adoption of Russian phosphate-based fertilizers by the EU is rising, as these fertilizers conform to environmental directives and play a significant role in sustaining a natural environment. PhosAgro holds 15% share of the phosphate-based fertilizers market being imported to Europe, while Russia holds around 20%. The recent standards could lead to the revision of European duties on products free from impurities, which in turn, could help accelerate Russian non-primary and non-energy exports. Source credit: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/phosagro-unveils-eco-label-for-russian-mineral-fertilizers-at-green-week-in-berlin-300994638.html
