The American company CF Industries is keeping the doors of its fertilizer factories in the UK Open for the time being after a deal with the British government. That’s what British media report on Tuesday. As a result, problems with CO₂ deliveries for the British food industry seem to be averted in the short term, after it had warned that the food production chain would be at risk within two weeks.

CF Industries faced production problems due to the current high gas price in the UK. The company, which supplies approximately 60 percent of the British food industry with carbon dioxide (CO₂), uses natural gas in the production of fertilizers. CF Industries reported last week that two of its facilities would be shut down if no help will come. It is not known exactly how much financial support the company receives from the British government.

The British food industry uses CO₂, a by-product of the fertilizer produced by CF Industries, in the cooling and packaging of products, the stunning of slaughter animals and the production of soft drinks and beer. The UK poultry sector warned that stocks could run out within ten days if CF Industries ceased its CO₂ production. The National Health System NHS was concerned that operations would have to be delayed due to a lack of carbon dioxide.