KYIV. UkraineGate , 25 , May , 2022 | Society.
Brazil has started using natural fertilizers for fear that the war in Ukraine will disrupt imports of important fertilizers.
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Brazil is a leading producer of soybeans, corn, cotton, sugar cane and coffee and the fourth largest consumer of chemical fertilizers based on nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, ie NPK. It imports about 80 percent of its total supplies, 25 of which come from Russia, a country currently under Western sanctions for attacking Ukraine.
This is forcing Brazilian farmers to look for alternatives, including remineralizers or “agrominerals” – crushed nutrient-rich rocks that are scattered in the fields before sowing.
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“Brazil is a tropical country, and rains tend to wash away nutrients from the soil. Stone powder restores and rejuvenates the soil,” said Marcio Remedio, director of mineral resources at the Brazilian Geological Survey.
According to geologist Susie Huff Theodoro, this technique also “allows plant roots to grow better and get the nutrients they need to grow.” She added that in Brazil there are rocks of the right profile in different parts of the country, the cost of which is “much cheaper”.
According to researcher Jose Carlos Polidoro, Brazil will still use NPK in the foreseeable future, but this could dramatically reduce dependence on foreign suppliers. Organic and organic fertilizers have the potential to cut Brazil’s imports by 20 percent, he said.
Before
Some EU countries have already talked about the seventh package of sanctions against Russia. According to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, one of the proposals for a new package is to kill Russian exports .
Source: Ukrgate
