In the first quarter, Russian fertilizer exports increased by 16%

According to preliminary estimates, in the first quarter of 2026, Russia exported 9.6 million tons of mineral fertilizers worth $3.6 billion. Compared to the same period in 2025, the volume of supplies increased by 16% in value terms. This was reported to Izvestia on April 28 by the press service of the Federal Center Agroexport.

Shipments of complex fertilizers abroad for the period from January to March exceeded $1.6 billion, an increase of 16% compared to the same period last year.

The export structure of this type of product is characterized by high diversification while concentrating on key markets in Asia, Latin America and Africa. Brazil ($340 million, 14%) and India ($338 million, 27%) remain the largest importers. Ethiopia came in third place (transit through Djibouti) ($186 million, 2.7 times more). A significant increase in supplies is noted in a number of other countries in Africa, as well as Asia. In particular, a significant increase in volumes was recorded in South Africa (2.4 times), as well as in Vietnam, Argentina and Turkey.

Shipments of potash fertilizers in the first quarter increased by 45% compared to the same period in 2025, reaching $1.1 billion. The key market for this type of fertilizer is China, which increased purchases by 66% to $377 million. The top 3 destinations also include Brazil ($170 million) and India ($169 million, 3.7 times more). In addition, at the beginning of the year, there was an active expansion of supplies to Asian countries, including Bangladesh (3.3 times) and Vietnam (5.5 times), as well as to a number of African countries, including Nigeria and South Africa.

In the first quarter of this year, the key importers of domestic nitrogen fertilizers were the United States ($146 million), India ($129 million) and Brazil ($116 million).

"Russia is a world leader among exporters of mineral fertilizers, maintaining its role as one of the key suppliers on the global market. In 2023-2025, the production of mineral fertilizers in the country showed steady positive dynamics, and the volume of output in 2025 became an industry record and amounted to 65.4 million tons. The growth of domestic production forms the basis for strengthening the presence of Russian suppliers in the markets of developing countries and actively diversifying export destinations, of course, taking into account the internal priorities of agricultural development and the unconditional provision of Russian farmers," said Ilya Ilyushin, head of the Agroexport Federal Center.

You can't sow, you can't reap: rising fertilizer prices may affect crops

Farmers are asking the Ministry of Agriculture to return export duties and introduce quotas for the domestic market.

Russian Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut said on April 20 that prices for nitrogen-containing fertilizers, like gas prices, are at a stable level in Russia, so the agricultural industry is growing. She added that since the beginning of the year, the volume of food production has been growing, although last year the bulk of the growth was in agricultural products.