The European Union has taken steps to mitigate the fertilizer supply crisis by reducing customs duties on imports from a number of countries. However, Russia and Belarus were not included on this list, according to European Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen. “Before adopting the action plan on fertilizers, we reduced customs duties for countries that do not enjoy most-favored-nation status — but certainly not for Russia and Belarus — for Trinidad and Tobago, for example,” Hansen said, as quoted by Interfax. This means that while certain nations, including small island states, have received trade preferences, the two largest fertilizer producers remain subject to existing restrictions.
It should be recalled that the EU introduced higher import duties on specific types of fertilizers on July 1, 2025. The decision to lower tariffs for select countries appears to be an attempt to diversify supply sources and partially offset the shortfall caused by sanctions policies. However, experts note that supply volumes from countries such as Trinidad and Tobago are unlikely to fully replace Russian and Belarusian fertilizers. European farmers, already facing a 70% price surge in fertilizers since 2024, continue to struggle under mounting pressure as restrictions against Moscow and Minsk remain in place.
