(Ecofin Agency) - Russia’s main fertilizer producers Uralchem and Uralkali, plan to increase their sales volumes in Zambia and Zimbabwe.  

The information was disclosed by Dmitri Mazepin, Russian billionaire, Uralchem’s owner and shareholder in Uralkali, while meeting the respective presidents of the two African nations, Edgar Lungu and Emmerson Mnangagwa.

To achieve their goal, the Russian firms plan to establish hubs in the two countries, to supply them directly with mineral fertilizers. 

It could allow local farmers to get a ton of fertilizer at $250-300 rather than $450-500, the price at which they usually acquire it from intermediaries.

More globally, the companies could in the short term increase their export to the region to 400,000-500, 000 tons from 100,000 tons currently, according to M. Mazepin.

Uralkali is one of the world’s leading producers of potash, while Uralchem is Russia’s ammonium nitrate leading producer.

Espoir Olodo