POTASH which is to be mined from the York Potash Project near Whitby has been approved by Organic Farmers & Growers (OF&G), a Defra-accredited body which assesses the suitability of organic materials.

The OF&G has confirmed the suitability of the company’s polyhalite for organic use on crops, meaning the Sirius Minerals, the company behind the mine, can market the natural mineral as an organic multi-nutrient fertiliser.

JT Starzecki, sales and marketing director of Sirius, said: “There is a UK and global need for more sustainable agriculture by adopting less polluting farming methods, and polyhalite is an ideal organic fertiliser because it provides four essential macro-nutrients that are crucial for plant growth in one mineral.

“Polyhalite does not require any further chemical processing and this certification reinforces its potential for helping to produce the food the world needs more sustainably.”