The Argus Fertilizers 2021: FSU, Caspian and Black Sea Markets conference took place on 15-16 September in Batumi, Georgia. The event brought together a wide international audience — key producers, traders, transport companies, government agencies, shippers, exporters and financiers.

The general partners of the conference were Wondernet Express Investment and Trammo. In addition, the event was supported by sponsors Eurochem and Pace, the sponsor of the evening reception Rustavi Azot, session sponsors Azeri firm Socar and Uzbek firm Uzkimyoimpex, and special sponsor IK Group. The conference was supported by Intertek, Georgian Railways, Grossdorf and Kotta Container.

More than 200 delegates from 30 countries, including Georgia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Turkey and Switzerland, gathered for unique market information, networking and the exchange of contacts. The event was held in a hybrid format — some of the audience and speakers attended the venue in the Hilton Batumi hotel, while others joined online.

Mamuka Murjikneli, chief executive of Wondernet Express Investment, and Nina Khangaldyan, committee member and workgroup co-ordinator of the International Fertilizers Association (IFA), welcomed the guests.

Timur Mukhamedjanov, director at Uzkimyoimpex, spoke at the session on the production potential and fertilizer export routes in central Asia. In his report on the development of the export potential of Uzbekistan’s chemical industry, he described the state of the national industry in the country and said government policy is aimed at developing new chemical projects, including those in partnership with large international companies.

On the second day of the conference, participants visited multifunctional sea terminal Pace at the port of Poti and the new fertilizer transshipment terminal of Wondernet Express Investment in Batumi.