Portugal faces €25 million nutrient waste as EU agriculture funds are cut

Portugal discards about €25 million worth of nutrients each year, mainly nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contained in organic waste that ends up in landfills or incinerated. The loss limits the country’s ability to lower its reliance on imported fertilizers; in 2025 Portugal imported roughly 700,000 tonnes of fertilizers valued at €335 million, with prices rising about 80 % since the Middle‑East conflict escalated. The ZERO association estimates recoverable nutrients in bio‑waste could be worth €22 million annually and proposes measures such as expanding selective organic‑waste collection, promoting composting, and valorising livestock effluents to boost circular agriculture.

At a conference on the EU’s next multi‑annual financial framework, Secretary of State Hélder Reis warned that Portugal cannot accept a reduction in cohesion and agriculture funding that exceeds the EU average. The draft proposes a 17.4 % cut for Portugal, compared with a 12.5 % average cut across the Union. While acknowledging the need to reallocate resources to defence, Reis called for a fair distribution of the remaining funds and highlighted the critical role of local municipalities in supporting regional development.