First agricultural trader in Germany to buy lower-carbon fertiliser

Agricultural trader team agrar and fertiliser producer Yara today signed a supply agreement for 2,500 tonnes of lower-carbon fertiliser in Osterrönfeld. This marks the first time an agricultural trader in Germany has purchased a large volume of YaraBela ClimateChoice Low Carbon. The two companies are sending a clear signal to the entire industry: Lower-carbon fertiliser is ready for the market and is now being used at scale. Deliveries will begin in December 2026, and farmers will apply the fertiliser from spring 2027. Compared with conventionally produced fertiliser, emissions will be reduced by up to 900 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

The volume is sufficient to supply nitrogen to crops on around 3,500 to 4,000 hectares. That is roughly the size of 5,000 football pitches - enough to grow around 175,000 tonnes of potatoes or some 450 million bread rolls. For farmers, nothing changes in practice: they apply the fertiliser as usual. team agrar is currently in talks with several partners along the food value chain regarding distribution.

It is no coincidence that this step is being taken in Schleswig-Holstein. The German state combines modern, high-performing agriculture with a pioneering role in the energy transition: in 2024, Schleswig-Holstein generated the equivalent of around 180 per cent of its electricity consumption from renewable sources. With its plant in Brunsbüttel, Yara also has deep roots in the region. Where agriculture and climate-friendly energy come together this closely, the decarbonisation of food production can begin – and set an example for others.

The ammonia for YaraBela ClimateChoice Low Carbon comes from Yara's plant in Sluiskil, the Netherlands. In September 2026, Yara commissioned Europe's largest commercial carbon capture facility there. Up to 800,000 tonnes of CO2 per year are captured during ammonia production, liquefied and shipped to Norway. There, the CO2 is permanently stored in rock formations around 2,600 metres below the seabed (carbon capture and storage, CCS). This makes Yara the first fertiliser producer to convert an entire plant to CCS technology. Yara then uses this ammonia to produce the lower-carbon fertiliser at its plant in Rostock, northern Germany.

Yara and team agrar have worked together for many years. With this agreement, both companies aim to jointly build the market for fertilisers, and they will also share responsibility for sales. The rationale: producing nitrogen fertiliser with carbon capture is one of the largest and most efficient levers for improving the carbon footprint of food.

The step is also attractive for food processors and retailers. Under the updated guidance of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol), companies will be able to claim emission reductions from lower-carbon fertiliser in their Scope 3 inventories. The requirement is that the fertiliser is delivered to the same region their crops are sourced from. Traceability down to the individual field is not required.

For team agrar, the purchase is part of a clear strategy. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the company has not sourced any fertiliser from Russia or Belarus. The initial competitive disadvantage this created has since been offset: team agrar has built long-term partnerships with European suppliers, thereby strengthening the European economy. In addition, fertilisers produced by Yara in Europe have a carbon footprint 50 to 60 per cent lower than fertilisers made in Russia or Belarus, for example. Using them is therefore a first step towards decarbonising the food value chain.

"Our guiding principle is the cooperative idea: working together for a better future for all," says Bent Nissen, Managing Director of team agrar. "Reducing CO2 will play an increasingly important role in our industry. We want to be a pioneer here - not wait until everyone else is doing it. That is why we are investing specifically in lower-carbon fertilisers and already offering our customers a solution that enables them to measurably improve their carbon footprint."

"Lower-carbon fertiliser is one of the biggest and at the same time simplest levers for decarbonising food production," explains Marco Fleischmann, Managing Director of Yara Germany. "We can only scale this market together. In team agrar, we have a partner that is leading the way and showing that climate protection in agriculture is already practical today."

Joschka Knuth, State Secretary at Schleswig-Holstein's Ministry for Energy Transition, Climate Protection, Environment and Nature, emphasises: "Produced in Europe and low in carbon - that is the future of independent and climate-friendly business. Yara and team agrar are leading by example, strengthening our resilience in a crucial sector: our food production."

Yara is a global leader in crop nutrition and ammonia with a mission to responsibly feed the world and protect the planet.

Yara operates a global, flexible production system that delivers a diversified portfolio of nitrogen-based products. With our extensive global market reach and more than a century of agronomic knowledge and continuous innovation, we partner across the value chain to improve crop yields, optimize resource use, and reduce environmental impact.

Through diversified energy exposure and profitable decarbonization efforts, Yara is uniquely positioned to strengthen industrial competitiveness and create long term value for customers, shareholders, employees, and society at large.

Founded in Norway in 1905, Yara operates in over 60 countries and serves more than 140 markets, employing about 15,700 people. In 2025, Yara reported revenues of USD 15.7 billion.