Venezuela is not an isolated case: the invasion of Ukraine by Russia at the end of February has consequences throughout Latin America, with the two countries being major suppliers of fertilizers throughout the region.

"10 26 26", can be read on the bags of Russian fertilizer used by farmers in Turén, in reference to the composition of these small white balls, 10% nitrogen, 26% phosphorus and 26% potassium .

At the start of the rainy season, which runs from April to November, it's time to prepare the soil to sow corn, the staple food of Venezuelans.

Russia is the world's largest fertilizer exporter: $7.6 billion in annual sales in 2020 according to the Economic Observatory of Competitiveness (OEC), accounting for 12% of global supply.

These exports are now practically paralyzed by the war and the international sanctions linked to the conflict.

About 80% of the 180,000 metric tons of fertilizer that Venezuela needs each year comes from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, according to the Federation of Agricultural Producers (Fedeagro).

Farmers check their machines to prepare the soil and sow corn, on May 11, 2022 in Turen, in the region of La Portuguesa, in Venezuela Yuri CORTEZ AFP

"Thank God we managed to buy fertilizers from Russia in October and November, we paid in December and they were able to arrive in February and March," Fedeagro president Celso Fantinel told AFP.

The latter warns, however, of a deficit equivalent to a third of demand.

And there is no more time to compensate for it because the weather does not wait.

petrochemical industry

"We are producing at 30% of our capacity", a consequence of the deep economic crisis that has hit the South American country in recent years.

"And even so, these 30% do not have the necessary fertilizers", regrets Ramon Bolotin, the president of the Association of Independent Producers (PAI) in Turén.

"Chemical fertilizers are essential" for productivity in this country of 30 million inhabitants where "3% of the population produces food for the other 97%".

"We will work with what we have (...), in some regions the doses will be lower," he explains.

Agricultural storage silos in Turen, in the Portuguesa region, on May 11, 2022 in Venezuela Yuri CORTEZ AFP

This shortage is not good news for Venezuelan farmers who are already facing lack of fuel due to the collapse of the oil sector.

They hope to sow this year 250,000 hectares of corn, 50,000 of rice, 60,000 of sugar cane and 70,000 of other crops such as coffee and cocoa, according to Fedeagro.

But the lack of fertilizer is a major obstacle.

Good fertilization is essential: one hectare of maize can produce a harvest of 10 tons, but this figure can drop to 3 or 4 tons if the conditions are not right.

And all of Latin America faces this problem.

In 2021, Brazil imported 80% of the 40 million tonnes of fertilizer it used, 20% of which came from Russia, according to official figures.

Argentina imports 60% of the 6 million tonnes it uses, including 15% from Russia.

Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru are more or less dependent on Russian fertilizers.

The collapse of the oil industry in Venezuela has also had an impact on the petrochemical industry, which in the past supplied domestic demand for fertilizers.

“For the past three years, we have organized the transport of fertilizers ourselves” through intermediaries, explains Osman Quero, vice-president of Fedeagro.

But lately exporters, due to the situation in Russia, have often stopped their sales in order to reserve fertilizers for their domestic market.

Bags of corn seeds previously treated against parasites in a shed in Turen, in the region of La Portuguesa, on May 11, 2022 in Venezuela Yuri CORTEZ AFP

Venezuelan farmers are asking in particular for the reactivation of the petrochemical complex of Moron (north).

According to the state-owned oil company PDVSA, it has the capacity to produce 150,000 metric tons of nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers per year.

But it has been semi-paralyzed since 2017. "We have two fundamental ingredients: urea (nitrogen) and phosphorus and we would only need to import potassium chloride", summarizes Mr. Fantinel.

© 2022 AFP