Russia Offers More Fertiliser to US If Duties Lifted
Russian producers say they can rapidly boost fertiliser exports to the United States should Washington remove existing duties.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in International Trade
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Russian fertiliser producers said they are ready to ramp up supplies to the US if Washington lifts duties, after Vladimir Putin offered to expand shipments to Steve Witkoff, Trump's envoy. Currently, Russian fertilisers intended for US customers land on other markets.
Why it matters
The offer ties fertiliser trade to broader US–Russia diplomacy at a time when Russian exports are already at record levels and redirected to politically friendly markets. Democrats, who won control of Congress in the November 3 midterms, are preparing to challenge Trump's easing of restrictions on Russian energy supplies.
Russian fertiliser exports reached a record 45Mtpa in 2025, up 7% from 42Mtpa earlier, and US imports of Russian fertilisers rose from $1.03 billion in 2021 to $1.8 billion in 2025. Whether Washington will lift duties to allow resumed shipments has not been decided.
The players
Steve Witkoff
Witkoff is a US envoy and close associate of President Donald Trump who received the fertiliser expansion offer from Putin.
Vladimir Putin
Putin is the President of Russia who offered to expand Russian fertiliser supplies to the United States.
The details
More than three-quarters of Russian fertiliser shipments went primarily to politically friendly markets in Asia and Latin America. Russia is the US's second-largest fertiliser supplier, behind Canada, which accounted for $3.76 billion in US fertiliser imports in 2025.
Timeline
October 21, 2025: Putin offered to expand Russian fertiliser supplies to the US.
October 29, 2025: Guryev spoke at an industry event in Moscow about US supply readiness.
November 3, 2025: Democrats won control of Congress in the midterm elections.
Market Dynamics
Russia's record 2025 fertiliser exports, which rose 7% and were largely directed to politically friendly markets in Asia and Latin America, form the backdrop for the proposed US offer. Redirecting those volumes toward the US would extend a trade pattern shaped by sanctions and diplomatic alignment.
Shifts in US fertiliser import duties and supply sources could affect input costs for agricultural producers and related equity positions. Any resumed Russian supply would depend on policy decisions that remain unsettled.
The takeaway
Trade offers tied to diplomatic negotiations often carry more symbolic weight than immediate market impact. Watching whether duties are actually lifted will show whether the proposal moves beyond rhetoric.
Further reading
For broader context on how tariffs and sanctions shape cross-border commodity flows, see International Trade.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Mining-journal.
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