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A Russia-based fertilizer producer, Uralchem, has disowned a fake document purporting to accuse Malawi of selling fertilizer that the company donated to the country.
The full statement reads as follows:
“Uralchem, one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of nitrogen, potash and complex fertilisers, announces that today certain information appeared in the media about the allegedly official position of the Company regarding sales of its humanitarian shipment in Malawi.
This information is false and not correct. Uralchem has not published any press releases on the matter and does not comment on the authenticity of the information that appeared in the media.
The sole official source of information of the Company is its corporate website – www.uralchem.com.
Moreover, this is not the first time such a fake press release has been distributed on behalf of Uralchem. In September, a similar message appeared in certain media in relation to Uralchem’s fertiliser shipment to Kenya, when in fact such shipment has not even been announced”.
Malawi has received a shipment of 20,000 tonnes of NPK fertiliser which landed via the Port of Beira in Mozambique before being shipped into the country.
The fertilizer which was detained in Europe as Russia was trying to export to its markets become a subject of donation consideration by the Russian government to poor African countries including Malawi which has been a first recipient of the deliveries so far.
The delivery is being done by Uralchem in close cooperation with the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP). The WFP chartered a vessel to transport the provided fertiliser from the Netherlands via Mozambique.
According to Uralchem, the 20,000 tonnes shipment to Malawi is a part of the group’s commitment to donating about 300,000 tonnes of the fertiliser to developing countries free of charge (not for sale). The Malawi government, which is bearing a percentage of logistical costs announced that the fertilizer would be part of the Agriculture Inputs Programme (AIP) where farmers buy the farm inputs, including fertilizer, a subsidized rate much lower than the standard market price of the commodities.
Speaking when the first consignment was successfully dispatched to Malawi, Uralchem CEO, Dmitry Konyaev, made the following statement.
“We believe that collective action is the most effective way of addressing the urgent food crisis in developing countries. Given that fertiliser use significantly increases food supply, we recognise its importance in alleviating food insecurity around the globe. On behalf of Uralchem-Uralkali I express our gratitude to the UN and the WFP as well as to the governments of the Netherlands, Mozambique and Malawi for their cooperation. We look forward to seeing the Malawian farmers getting our shipment of NPK and reaping a rich harvest.”
Back in Malawi, where politics has continued its active life since the 2020 Presidential election, a fake document emerged claiming that Uralchem has expressed concerns over the selling of the fertilizer in Malawi, a claim that has been categorically rejected by Uralchem via its official website.
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