EU backs tariffs on fertiliser imports from Russia, Belarus

Despite European farmers’ concerns that the move could lead to higher prices, the European Parliament has approved to impose tariffs on some farm products imported from Russia and its allies Belarus.

The bill that will impose duties in July and gradually increase them until they are unviable in 2028 was supported by the European Parliament on Thursday, 411 to 100.

More than 70% of EU fertilizer consumption was nitrogen-based fertilizer in 2023, with Russia accounting for 25% of EU imports worth roughly 1.3 billion euros ($1.5 billion).

The bloc predicts that trade will effectively be stopped by 2028 as a result of the tariff increases over the next three years from 6.5% to an equivalent of about 100 percent.

An additional 50% duty will be imposed on farm products.

The new measures will apply to 15% of agricultural imports from Russia that were previously hit, including meat, dairy products, fruit, and vegetables, despite Russia and Belarus receiving prohibitive tariffs last year due to the conflict in Ukraine.

Inese Vaidere, a member of the EU’s legislative body leading the push for higher tariffs, said the EU must “stop importing Russian war materials” and “do everything possible to reduce the reliance of European farmers on Russian fertilisers.”

Member states who have already endorsed the idea are still required to formally approve the bill in their final statement.

Russia claimed on Thursday that the EU’s fertiliser prices would rise as a result of the tariffs.

Russian nitrogen fertilisers were still in high demand, according to Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin.

Farmers’ reprehensibility

Copa-Cogeca, a group of pan-European farmers, claimed that using Russian fertilisers was “most expensive in terms of price, due to well-established logistics.”

The group warned that the tariff could “potentially devastate” the agriculture sector, adding that “European farmers must not become collateral damage.”

Belgium’s farmer claimed that the EU had hurt its farmers.

Amaury Poncelet, who spoke to AFP, said he “doesn’t understands the European Union’s strategy of punishing its farmers.”

He claimed that these European decisions, which treat us like pawns who don’t care, are making us lose money.