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Is the rising cost of fertilizer forcing crop farmers to use manure instead? Let's check the claim of the state-run TV head
The price of potassium chloride on the market has doubled in 2021.
The rising cost of mineral fertilizers is unaffordable for European crop farmers, says Marat Makarov. The Weekly Top Fake team checks whether it is true.
Why are protesting farmers pouring manure on administrative buildings in Europe? The head of the state Belarusian TV channel ONT, Marat Markov, spoke about the reasons for this on the air of Alfa Radio on February 21.
“The cost, which is currently offered by the Canadian Nutrien, the monopolist on the market today, doubled at once. And it is prohibitive for a large number of farms. Where do they get so much manure with which they fertilize the streets of European cities? They are forced to fertilize their fields with this manure,” he claimed.
The price of potassium chloride on the market has doubled in 2021. One of the reasons was trade restrictions on Belarusian potassium (the BICcovered the story of how Belarus bypasses sanctions).
After the start of the war, restrictions on Russian potassium were imposed. As a result, its cost approximately doubled. But, throughout last year, fertilizer prices continued a year-long decline from the 2022 peak.
As of February 2024, prices have gone back to the level of three years ago.
