AS the UK prepares for new sustainability measures, including the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) taking effect in 2027, fertiliser traceability is becoming a key part of low-carbon farming.
With this in mind, fertiliser producer Yara has been working with major food companies, including a partnership with PepsiCo, to demonstrate how traceability creates value throughout the supply chain. These partnerships centre on providing growers and distributors with verified low-carbon inputs alongside agronomic expertise to optimise in-field emissions.
Conor Quinlan, Yara’s Key Account Manager for UK and Ireland, said: “Fertiliser use accounts for somewhere between 65 and 80% of overall emissions in most crops. When companies are looking at reducing their Scope 3 emissions, you can’t avoid looking at fertiliser use and the source of that fertiliser.”
From the second half of 2026, Yara will launch PCCS (Partial Carbon Capture and Storage) fertilisers across its YaraMila, YaraBela, and YaraLiva ranges in the UK. YaraMila contains nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium and can be used for balanced, all-around nutrition on potato crops while YaraLiva provides fast-acting nitrate nitrogen and calcium to improve tuber strength, storability, and shelf life.
With these fertilisers, excess CO2 is collected during production before being liquefied and transported and stored deep under the seabed, removing it from the atmosphere. The result is a carbon footprint reduction of 60-75%.
“The target market for these lower carbon fertilisers is customers who are typically linked with food industry supply chains and who have established baseline CO2 figures and seek measured reductions within specific timeframes,” said Conor. “These operations need low-carbon fertilisers that deliver significant, quick reductions while remaining easy to implement.”
