Belarus Says Potash Volumes Are Contracted, Dampening Trump’s Deal Push
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Belarus cannot increase potash shipments to satisfy Donald Trump, noting that current volumes are already contracted; Trump has touted a cheaper deal with Belarus potash while Washington seeks pricing below Canada’s. Belarus produces about 6 million metric tons of potash annually, compared with Canada’s ~15 Mt, and U.S. imports roughly 5.6 Mt. Belarus had resumed potash exports to the U.S. after sanctions were lifted in March, but Lukashenko stressed year‑to‑year output is spoken for. He also called for the unfreezing of about $43–$44 million in state funds held in Citibank and noted Ukraine rejected a request to route Belarusian potash transit through its territory, highlighting broader geopolitical tensions surrounding the fertilizer trade.
