Washington, June 29 - The White House on Monday announced that U.S. President Donald Trump has authorized a temporary suspension of specified duties on phosphate fertilizer imported from Morocco, a step intended to alleviate fertilizer shortages affecting U.S. farmers.
In an official proclamation released by the administration, the president said global supply chains for phosphate fertilizer and related inputs have been disrupted in recent months by factors including conflicts in fertilizer-producing regions and trade actions taken by major fertilizer-producing countries.
The proclamation notes that supplies from major Middle Eastern producers were sharply reduced following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett is quoted as saying in March that the administration was seeking additional sources of fertilizer to address shortages.
Domestic production and policy response
The proclamation states that U.S. production of phosphate fertilizer is not sufficient to support domestic agricultural food production after exports are taken into account. The administration said it is coordinating with the private sector to expand domestic fertilizer manufacturing capacity, but acknowledged these efforts will require time before they materially increase supply.
Against that backdrop, the proclamation indicates that producers in countries such as Morocco are able to supply phosphate fertilizers to the United States without disruption at this time, providing justification for the temporary duty relief.
Context and next steps
The administration framed the duty suspension as a targeted, temporary measure designed to address near-term shortages while domestic capacity is developed. The proclamation emphasizes supply-chain disruptions and trade actions as drivers of the current market strains but does not specify a timeline for the duration of the suspension or detail immediate operational changes to domestic production.
Officials said the government will continue to engage with private-sector partners to expand U.S. manufacturing of fertilizer inputs, recognizing that increases in domestic output are a longer-term undertaking.