By Ryan Hanrahan
The Wall Street Journal’s Adriano Marchese reported that “President Trump is signaling a potential agreement to purchase lower-priced potash from Belarus, a move that could challenge Canadian exporters.“
“In a Monday post on Truth Social, Trump said he is working on a ‘massive deal’ aimed at lowering fertilizer costs for American farmers and ranchers,” Marchese reported. “The proposal targets a market currently dominated by Canada, the world’s largest producer of potash, a vital fertilizer component and an essential plant nutrient with no substitute in global food production.”
Agri-Pulse’s Olivia M. Bridges reported that “fertilizer costs are on the rise because of a number of factors, including the war with Iran and tariffs, among other reasons. The average cost for red potash fertilizer is $690 per ton, while white potash fertilizer is $744.17 per ton, according to USDA’s Sept. 18 bi-weekly Pacific Northwest production cost report. This is a jump compared to last year. The same USDA report from Sept. 22, 2025, found that red potash fertilizer cost $670 per ton and white potash fertilizer cost $695.84.”
“…It’s not immediately clear why Trump landed on Belarus for the potash deal,” Bridges reported. “The U.S. has had a limited presence in Belarus since 2008, the Congressional Research Service said in a January report. The second Trump administration has scaled up engagement.”
Source : illinois.edu