Key facts
- Belarus does not have enough potash to satisfy U.S. demands, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Sept. 21.
- U.S. President Donald Trump announced preparations for a "massive deal" to purchase Belarusian potash fertilizer.
- Lukashenko stated that Belarus has already contracted its current year's potash output.
- The U.S. previously requested Ukraine allow transit for Belarusian potash exports, a request Ukraine denied.
- The Trump administration lifted economic restrictions on Belarusian potash exports in December 2025.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Sept. 21 that his country does not have sufficient potash volumes to meet U.S. President Donald Trump's demands for a new supply deal. Trump had announced the U.S. was pursuing a "massive deal" for Belarusian potash at a lower price than current Canadian imports, aiming to benefit American farmers.
"Even if we wanted to supply [potash] to other, Western markets, we simply do not have those volumes — everything is contracted," Lukashenko said during a meeting with Vladimir Orlovsky, head of the Belarusian state customs authority. Trump had stated on his Truth Social media platform that the proposed pricing would be "very good news for our Farmers and Ranchers."
Canada is the world's largest potash producer, with annual output of 15 million metric tons, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. Belarus produces around 6 million metric tons annually, slightly more than the U.S. imports of 5.6 million metric tons. Lukashenko also noted that Belarus has supplied the U.S. with potash for the first time since 2021, following the lifting of sanctions on Belarusian potash producers in March. He also called for the release of $43-$44 million in frozen Belarusian funds. Earlier this year, the U.S. had asked Ukraine to open its territory for the transit of Belarusian potash exports, a request that was denied.