British biofertiliser could replace imported artificial fertilisers whose costs are soaring if the Government removes unnecessary restrictions to help farmers, according to the UK trade body representing green gas and bioresources.
In an open letter of 11 March to Emma Reynolds (Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) the UK trade association for green gas and bioresources ADBA have called on Government to loosen restrictions on the use of biofertiliser.
The Trade association has called on government to take this action in order to protect farmers from ballooning prices in imported synthetic fertiliser. This comes following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and surge in the price of natural gas – from which synthetic fertiliser is produced. Over 1 million tonnes of synthetic fertiliser is currently used for food production in Britain, whereas its sustainable alternative – digestate – is currently under-utilised.
The letter to Reynolds argues that to achieve lasting food security in the UK, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) needs to support British farmers by promoting the use of digestate in agriculture. Digestate is the natural and nutrient-rich biofertiliser generated through anaerobic digestion (AD) as a by-product of biogas production.
The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA), chaired by former Energy Secretary Chris Huhne, calls for digestate spreading rules to be relaxed so that farmers can make best use of this essential bioresource.
With over 750 biogas plants operating across the UK, thevolume of biofertiliser potentially available to farmers is significant.
In the letter, Chris Huhne explains:
“Crises have shown how quickly markets can destabilise… A significant share of global LNG trade passes through strategic chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz, meaning that disruption could quickly translate into higher costs for UK agriculture.
For farmers, this could mean fertiliser prices rising again to well above £700 per tonne, potentially approaching £900 per tonne during the fertiliser spreading season. Such price spikes place direct pressure on farm margins, increase food production costs, and ultimately risk feeding through into higher prices for consumers.
Digestate can replace a significant share of gas derived synthetic fertiliser while returning nutrients to UK soils, could replace around 25 to 30 per cent of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser use… [and] offset around £170millions of economic risk in the first year alone.”
Currently the UK has no production of this vital tool for farming, with the last synthetic fertiliser production coming to an end in 2022, but has a wealth of existing biofertiliser being produced, and potential to grow
Restricting the use of this essential resource in agriculture leaves the country vulnerable to international energy price and supply shocks, including those created by the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.
In the letter, ADBA argues that government support for the AD and biofertiliser sector is crucial to protect British farmers from price volatility and to increase domestic food security, not just now, but long into the future.
