The first batch of 20,000 tons of Russian fertilizer destined for Africa, negotiated with the UN after the sanctions imposed because of the war in Ukraine, is being unloaded at the port of Beira, Mozambique.

"We are in the process of unloading the ship MV Greenwich" with 20,400 tons of fertilizer "destined for the Republic of Malawi," said Miguel de Jenga, operations director of Cornelder Moçambique, the terminal's operator.

According to Lusa, the operation began "two days ago", after the ship docked and Mozambique serves as a transit country for the cargo, which is important for agricultural activity in the region.

The lack of fertilizers and agro-industrial products has caused prices to rise, with a particular impact on Africa.

The British-flagged MV Greenwich left New Zealand on November 29, chartered by the World Food Program (WFP).

The Russian fertilizer company Uralchem-Uralkali agreed in mid-November to export humanitarian shipments to Africa that had been blocked in warehouses in Belgium, the Netherlands and Estonia as part of the sanctions imposed on Russia in response to the war in Ukraine.

The shipment is the first in a series of Russian supplies to African countries that were blocked in European ports and which have been donated by the Russian firm.

In total, the donation amounts to 260,000 tons and, according to UN Secretary General António Guterres, it will help to "alleviate humanitarian needs and prevent a catastrophic loss of crops in Africa in the middle of the sowing season".

The initiative is part of the agreement that Ukraine and Russia sealed in July, with the support of Turkey and the UN, which also allowed Ukrainian grain exports to resume via the Black Sea.

Although Western sanctions against Russia do not affect food and fertilizers, according to Moscow, its exports of this type of product have been practically paralyzed due to restrictions on logistics companies or difficulties in securing shipments.

The UN has been warning for months of the danger posed by the sharp rise in fertilizer prices since 2019, with an increase of 250%, making them unaffordable for many farmers in developing countries.

As a result, the UN fears that harvests will be damaged, causing a serious food crisis, especially in Africa.