Amid the intense focus on the European Union's efforts to reduce imports of Russian gas and oil over the past few years, a significant product has slipped under the radar: fertilizer.

Russia is a major global producer and exporter of fertilizer, which is used by farmers and food producers to provide nutrients to plants and crops.

While the EU has largely cut out Russian oil and gas from its import list, it has ramped up its purchases of the country's fertilizer since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Russia's share of EU fertilizer imports has grown from 17% in 2022 to about 30% now. In 2024 alone, imports rose by more than 33% to around $2 billion (€1.75 billion).

According to the MIT Observatory of Economic Complexity — a detailed trade data platform — Russia exported a total $15.3 billion worth of fertilizers in 2023, making it the largest exporter in the world.

While its primary export markets are India and Brazil, the EU collectively accounts for a significant chunk of Russia's exports, weighing in at around 13% in 2023.

Earlier this month, however, the European Parliament endorsed the European Commission's proposal to introduce a 6.5% tariff on fertilizers imported from Russia and Belarus. The plan is to continue ramping up the tariffs to 50% by 2028.

This can be partly explained by the type of fertilizer Russia produces and how it produces it. Russia........

© Deutsche Welle