• Moscow sets export quota at 20 million tons from June to November
• Move aims to secure domestic supply during peak farming season
• Decision adds strain to already tight global fertilizer markets

Russia will cap fertilizer exports at 20 million tons between June 1 and November 30, according to a government statement released on April 22.

The quota includes more than 8.7 million tons of nitrogen fertilizers, over 4.2 million tons of ammonium nitrate, and more than 7 million tons of complex fertilizers.

Authorities said the measure is designed to ensure sufficient supply for domestic users, including farmers and animal feed producers, during the spring agricultural season. The restrictions will not apply to shipments to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, transit exports, or deliveries under international humanitarian aid programs.

The new cap follows a previous quota of 18.7 million tons that runs from December 1, 2025, to May 31, 2026. It also comes just after the expiration of a one-month suspension of ammonium nitrate export licenses introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Russia, which accounted for about 20% of global fertilizer trade in 2023, said the decision reflects the need to prioritize domestic demand at a time of strong external demand.

Global market already under strain

The move comes as global fertilizer markets face mounting pressure. The conflict involving Iran and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly one-third of global seaborne fertilizer trade passes—have already tightened supply.

Since the start of the conflict on February 28, urea prices have doubled compared with 2025 levels. Data cited by Bloomberg from UAE-based Fertiglobe show that Gulf exports of this nitrogen fertilizer dropped to about 300,000 tons in March, down from typical monthly volumes of 1.7 million tons.

Up to 44 fertilizer-laden ships are reportedly stranded in the Persian Gulf, unable to transit the strait.

In response to these disruptions, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned on April 13 against export restrictions on energy and fertilizers, cautioning that such measures could turn input shortages into a global food crisis.

“The last thing we want is lower crop yields and higher commodity prices and food inflation for the next year,” said FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero.

Russia is not alone in tightening controls. China, the world’s largest producer and consumer of fertilizers, introduced restrictions on urea exports in October 2025 to protect its domestic market and has extended them through August 2026.

Espoir Olodo