Morocco Phosphate Fertilizer Returns to U.S. Market

Politico’s Rachel Shin reported that “Morocco’s state-owned OCP has returned to the U.S. phosphate fertilizer market after President Donald Trump suspended countervailing duties on the company in June, a spokesperson told POLITICO on Friday, with its first shipment already landing in New Orleans.” “The president declared an emergency earlier this summer arguing that constrained fertilizer supply threatened America’s agricultural production and food security,” Shin reported. “Accordingly, he lifted the more than 16 percent countervailing duties applied to OCP that had been keeping the Moroccan phosphate fertilizer giant from exporting to the U.S.” “The company told (Politico’s) Oliver (Ward) that 54,000 metric tons arrived in the U.S., the first shipment since the duties were lifted,” Shin reported.

“Phosphate fertilizer prices have been rising since February and are heading into the late summer planting season higher than at any point in the last two years, according to Agriculture Department data, driven in large part by lingering supply chain disruptions in the Middle East affecting the availability of key fertilizer inputs, like sulfur,” Shin reported. “Agriculture groups have been pressing the administration to take steps to bolster domestic supply.” “OCP North America said in a statement that while it welcomes the temporary tariff relief, ‘greater long-term certainty’ would better support investment in its U.S. offerings and ‘help ensure adequate fertilizer supply for American farmers over time,'” Shin reported.

Return of Morocco Positive, but Won’t Immediately Provide Return to Normal Prices

AgWeb’s Margy Eckelkamp reported that “StoneX Vice President of Fertilizer Josh Linville says the significance is straightforward: ‘Because we haven’t seen Morocco since 2021.’ He adds the supply change could help phosphate fertilizer economics, though not immediately to ‘normal’ levels. ‘I’m hoping we’ll start to see a little bit of price alleviation. I don’t think we’re going anything close to normal, but at this point, we’ll take whatever dollars we can get,’ Linville says.” Additionally, the company shipped triple superphosphate to the U.S., which Progressive Farmer’s Jake Zajkowski reported on X that “analysts point out that triple superphosphate (TSP) is not as popular in the U.S. marketplace as MAP or DAP.”

First Moroccan phosphate vessel has arrived to some U.S. fanfare. As always, there is a “but”. In this case, the ship is carrying triple super phosphate. Not the popular DAP or MAP. Still, that ship carries P2O5 units and there are more enroute. Just wish prices reflected…

— Josh Linville (@JLinvilleFert) August 17, 2026

Eckelkamp reported that “Linville argued the larger phosphate market is locked in a competitive price environment, where producers face logistics and export constraints in addition to demand uncertainty.” “‘If we were in a normal market, right now prices should be just careening off a cliff,’ he says, explaining that standard price behavior may be delayed when key exporting nations remain restrained,” Eckelkamp reported. “The current market’s ‘price war’ is driven by a small set of global suppliers–phosphate’s largest five are China, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Russia and the U.S.” “‘Look at China—they’re not exporting. They exported 10 million tons of DAP and MAP in 2021. So far, this year, I think it’s 183,000 tons.’ he says,” according to Eckelkamp’s reporting. “Linville also points to logistics constraints affecting Saudi Arabian supply, noting ‘The Strait of Hormuz is half the world’s tradable supply. Just right off the bat, just half of the world’s tradable supply is gone.’ He adds Russia’s export ban further tightens availability: ‘Russia has banned export. That’s another 17%, so right now, two-thirds—literally, 2 out of every 3 tons around the world is missing.'”

Morocco Fertilizer Duties Were Suspended to Help Cut Input Costs

Farm Progress’ Joshua Baethge reported in late June that “President Donald Trump issued an emergency proclamation lifting duties on phosphate fertilizers imported from Morocco. The order will remain in effect for eight months unless the emergency order is terminated sooner.” “Morocco supplies more than 30% of the global fertilizer supply. That nation is also home to approximately 70% of the world’s phosphate reserves,” Baethge reported. “However, high countervailing duties have prevented much of that supply from reaching the U.S., significantly increasing costs for American farmers.” “According to a 2025 Texas A&M Agriculture and Food Policy Center report, countervailing duties on Moroccan imports alone cost U.S. farmers an estimated $6.9 billion between the 2021 and 2025 growing seasons,” Baethge reported. “The duties are set to expire next year unless federal officials vote to extend them.”