Yara has said that AdBlue production is currently running at normal capacity and is “undisturbed” by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The company is one of the world’s leading producers of the diesel exhaust fluid for vehicles, including newer farm machinery, with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology.
The solution, containing high-purity, synthetically manufactured urea from ammonia and carbon dioxide, is used to reduce harmful gases being released into the atmosphere.
The fluid works by converting nitrogen oxide, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has said impacts people with asthma, into nitrogen and steam.
Yara is Europe’s largest AdBlue producer with four production plants in the Netherlands, Germany, France and Italy.
At the end of March, the company announced that production at the Le Havre plant in France and the Ferrara plant in Italy resumed.
Operations at the two plants were curtailed temporarily due to the impact of the war in Ukraine on ammonia and urea production in Europe.
A spokesperson for the company told Agriland that production is “currently running at its normal capacity – undisturbed, as such, by Russia’s invasion in Ukraine”.
However, the spokesperson noted that “shortages have been known to occur”.
“Some geographies – notably Finland and partly the Nordics and the UK – feature importers basing their supply on Russian sources. These are now challenged, naturally.
“Also, some instances of hoarding have led to challenges linked to some packaging formats. However, we regard these as temporary impacts; short-term disruptions,” they outlined.
Yara stated that new supply chains have been and are in the process of being “quickly established”.
The spokesperson added that the “current situation is of course characterised by unprecedented challenges”.
“Almost all supply chains are subjected to stress tests these days. Fundamental sources of raw materials and energy are exposed.
“One would have a hard time finding any business or industry completely unimpacted by the widespread repercussions.
“We are tirelessly working to resolve any challenges and keep the wheels turning,” they concluded.