Russia has become the second-largest supplier of fertilizers to the United States

Russia ranked second among the largest suppliers of fertilizers to the United States. From January through May 2026, U.S. companies purchased $1.04 billion worth of Russian products.

Compared to the same period last year, the volume of imports increased by 28%. In the first five months of 2025, the U.S. imported $806.4 million worth of fertilizers from Russia.

Consequently, as noted, Russia has become the second-largest supplier of fertilizers to the U.S., second only to Canada.

The increase in purchases is taking place against a backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions. Fertilizers are traditionally exempt from a significant portion of Western sanctions due to their important role in supplying the global food market.

The rise in demand is occurring against the backdrop of a tense situation in the global fertilizer market. According to Josh Linville, a renowned expert and vice president of fertilizer markets at StoneX, five countries control the bulk of the global phosphate market: China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and the United States.

He noted that the loss of one of the key producers could create a shortage that the market would be unable to quickly compensate for.

A similar trend is also observed in Europe. In March 2026, European Union countries purchased €50.7 million worth of Russian fertilizers, compared to €30.5 million in February. The main driver of this growth was the import of potash fertilizers.