The Ukrainian embassy in Ireland has today (Thursday, October 27), thanked Tirlán for deciding not to source fertiliser products from Russia.
Expressing its gratitude to the co-op for the move on Twitter, it said:
“We are grateful to the board of directors and employees of Tirlán for showing their support and solidarity with Ukraine by deciding that their co-op will not be sourcing fertiliser products from Russia.”
Tirlán, formally known as Glanbia Co-op and Glanbia Ireland, said that it is not currently buying any Russian fertiliser products and has not purchased these since February.
In a statement, the co-op said:
“In solidarity with the people of Ukraine and the views of our employees, the board of Tirlán has decided that our co-op will not be sourcing fertiliser product from Russia.
“Since February, our co-op’s sourcing policies have been focused on securing non-Russian sources of fertiliser for our farmers.”
The statement follows the co-op’s recent launch of a fertiliser initiative that will assist farmers in securing supplies for next year.
It will offer an option to make an advanced commitment to fertiliser purchases for next spring, and avail of an interest-free, deferred payment model.
The initiative was announced following a period of market volatility and purchase restrictions, largely linked to high gas prices across Europe and the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
Ukraine Enterprise Scheme
Also today, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar launched a new €200 million Ukraine Enterprise Scheme, which will assist vulnerable businesses during the fallout of the war.
There is set to be two streams of funding which will assist firms of all sizes, the first of which will help those suffering liquidity problems as a result of the conflict, and the second of which will help those impacted by severe rises in energy costs.
Speaking about the scheme, Mark Christal, head of food and sustainability with Enterprise Ireland said:
“This new scheme will provide two tailored options for support at what is a critical time for many enterprises. This scheme is open to applications from all eligible manufacturing and internationally traded services companies.
“Importantly, companies applying for assistance will also have to demonstrate that they have an energy efficiency plan in place or are preparing a plan to reduce future energy consumption as the enterprise sector transitions to a more sustainable future.”