The first UK delivery of low-carbon nitrogen fertiliser arrived into the Port of Berwick this month.
OCI Global, which is headquartered in the Netherlands, delivered the shipment to Simpsons Malt in a bid to reduce the carbon footprint of malting barley and distilling wheat.
The low carbon nitrogen granular product – Nutramon Low Carbon – will see the fertiliser being applied on malting barley and distilling wheat at Simpson Malt’s farm in Northumberland and on other trials sites this year.
It will be sold commercially to growers by the company’s agricultural merchanting division McCreath Simpson and Pentrice from autumn 2023.
The aim is for the low carbon fertiliser to be applied to malting barley and distilling wheat, which is destined for Simpsons Malt’s brewing and distilling customers.
Aviv Bar Tal, OCI Global’s VP commercial nitrogen, said the partnership will ultimately lower the carbon footprint of Scotch Whisky.
“We know that we need to address the greenhouse gas emissions of fertilisers because to feed our growing population, continuing to use fertilisers is non-negotiable,” said Mr Bar Tal.
“Through projects like this one, we aim to create partnerships with companies in the food and drink supply chain to deliver affordable but also sustainable products for the long-term.”
Mr Bal Tal said the fertiliser has a low-carbon status because it has been made using biomethane feedstock, rather than a natural gas.
This reduces its carbon footprint by 50% when compared to a conventionally produced nitrogen fertiliser.
Simpsons Malt’s fertiliser director David Barret, said: “As a Certified B Corporation and in our unique industry position as both a malting and merchanting business, we are mindful of the impact our operations have on the environment and acknowledge that fertiliser application is a significant percentage of the malt supply chain’s overall carbon footprint.
“As a result, we endeavour to ensure the fertilisers we purchase are sustainably produced and so we’re delighted to be partnering with OCI Global on the supply of low-carbon Nutramon.”
