The US government has decided to delay the implementation of new tariffs on imports of Russian fertilizer by a few months. The sanctions, announced in August, are intended to punish the regime of Alexander Lukashenko for fraudulent elections and in response to his "migrant smuggling to the European Union.”
The Biden administration still plans to sanction the export of potash from Belarus, but will only do so at the end of April. This gives American farmers time to stock up on supplies, according to the National Corn Growers Association.
The Biden administration first announced sanctions against Belarus in August – including on two large state companies that export potash, about 13 million tons of fertilizer per year.
A combination of events is currently leading to higher fertilizer costs worldwide. For example, China has blocked the export of phosphate fertilizers, and Hurricane Ida impacted the production of glyphosate and nitrogen in the United States. In addition, the US Department of Commerce advised imposing tariffs on imports of urea ammonium nitrate from Russia and Trinidad and Tobago.
The US International Trade Commission also ruled this year to allow tariffs on phosphate fertilizer imports from Morocco and Russia. The Moroccan fertilizer producer OCP is appealing that decision.
“The American farmer should not have to suffer for the trade practices of foreign governments or for disputes between multinational companies,” said a spokesperson for American farmers. “Yet that is exactly what happens when sanctions or tariffs are imposed. Farmers pay the price, others profit.”