Digestate Could Reduce EU Dependence on Imported Fertilisers — JRC

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Digestate — a by-product of the anaerobic digestion of manure, plant material and food waste — could partially replace mineral fertilisers in the EU, particularly in regions with high livestock concentrations. This is the conclusion of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), which says wider use of such fertilisers could reduce the EU’s dependence on imported nutrients and lower costs for farmers.

The need for alternatives to mineral fertilisers has become more pressing amid disruptions to global markets caused by the crisis in the Middle East. Between December 2025 and April 2026, nitrogen fertiliser prices in the EU rose by a further 40%, after already standing 62% above 2020 levels.

Imports of urea and ammonia are particularly vulnerable: Gulf countries account for around 43% of global urea exports and 27% of ammonia exports.

A new JRC study finds that certain types of digestate, particularly liquid fractions obtained after centrifugation, could partially replace mineral fertilisers without reducing agricultural productivity, provided environmental requirements are met.

Digestates with a low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and a high mineral nitrogen content are considered the most promising. In terms of agronomic efficiency, they can perform similarly to synthetic fertilisers.

At the same time, the JRC stresses the need to manage environmental risks, particularly ammonia emissions and nitrate leaching. This requires appropriate feedstock selection, suitable processing and storage technologies, and precise field application.

The study supports the objectives of the EU Fertiliser Action Plan published in May 2026. The European Commission plans to assess whether certain types of digestate that currently do not meet RENURE criteria could be included in this category.

If so, they could be applied at an additional rate of up to 80 kg of nitrogen per hectare per year above the standard limit of 170 kg of nitrogen per hectare for conventional livestock manure in nitrate-vulnerable zones.

The JRC believes that broader recognition of digestate as a RENURE-like fertiliser could reduce the EU’s dependence on imports, lower costs for agricultural producers in livestock-intensive regions and support the development of the circular economy.

However, wider use would require safeguards, including measures to prevent ammonia losses, controls on contaminants and compliance with phosphorus application limits.

PigUA.info, based on materials from thepigsite.com

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