The United States has eased some import duties on phosphate fertiliser from Morocco to help make sure American farmers have enough supplies for the next planting season. The move came after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over fertiliser supplies. The White House announced the decision on Monday, saying it wants to protect the country’s food supply while the US works to increase its own fertiliser production.
Under the measure, certain anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Moroccan phosphate fertiliser will be suspended for up to eight months, or until the emergency ends.
Phosphate fertiliser is used to grow major crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat.
The White House said global supply chains have been disrupted, making fertiliser harder to buy and more expensive. It said conflicts, trade restrictions and limited US production have all added to the problem.
“Immediate action is necessary and appropriate to ensure in the interim that United States farmers have access to a sufficient and timely supply of phosphate fertilisers during the planting and growing season,” the White House said.
The proclamation names Morocco as a reliable supplier that can help fill the gap.
It says Morocco, which holds about 70% of the world’s known phosphate rock reserves, is well placed to supply the US without major disruptions. The White House said making it easier to import Moroccan fertiliser is “imperative” to protect US farming, national security and the country’s food supply.
The emergency also follows fresh disruption to global fertiliser trade. Around one third of all fertiliser shipped by sea passes through the Strait of Hormuz, where recent tensions in the Middle East have slowed shipping. Shortages of sulphur, a key material used to turn phosphate rock into fertiliser, have also put pressure on global production.
The US Departments of the Treasury and Commerce will oversee the temporary suspension.
The White House said the measure is only a short-term solution while the country expands its own fertiliser industry. Earlier this year, the administration used the Defence Production Act to increase domestic production of elemental phosphorus. However, building new production capacity will take time.
The temporary suspension should help suppliers bring in key fertilisers, including diammonium phosphate (DAP) and monoammonium phosphate (MAP), before the busy autumn and winter planting period.
The decision could also strengthen Morocco’s position in the global fertiliser market.
State-owned OCP Group, one of the world’s largest phosphate and fertiliser producers, reported revenue of nearly MAD 114 billion in 2025. That was up 17% from a year earlier, helped by stronger demand and higher export volumes.
