U.S. President Donald Trump has temporarily suspended certain import duties on phosphate fertilizer from Morocco for up to eight months after declaring a national emergency over fertilizer supplies, saying the measure is needed to protect the country’s food supply and ensure American farmers have access to critical agricultural inputs.
The proclamation, signed Monday, authorizes the temporary suspension of certain anti-dumping and countervailing duties imposed on Moroccan phosphate fertilizer imports. The measure will remain in effect for eight months or until the emergency declaration is lifted, whichever comes first.
The White House said the decision was prompted by concerns that U.S. domestic phosphate fertilizer production is no longer sufficient to meet the needs of the country’s agricultural sector. The administration said reliable fertilizer supplies are essential to maintaining crop production and safeguarding national food security.
According to the proclamation, disruptions to global fertilizer supply chains have increased pressure on U.S. farmers. The administration cited conflicts affecting fertilizer-producing regions and export restrictions by major producing countries, which have contributed to supply shortages and higher costs.
The White House also noted that U.S. phosphate production has fallen by more than 50% since 1995, leaving the country increasingly dependent on imports as farmers prepare for the upcoming fall planting season.
Recent supply pressures have also been linked to disruptions in the Middle East. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key transit route for sulfur and ammonia, two essential raw materials used in phosphate fertilizer production, has been affected by regional tensions, tightening global fertilizer supplies.
While temporarily easing duties on Moroccan imports, the administration said it will continue working with domestic producers to expand U.S. fertilizer manufacturing capacity as a longer-term strategy to reduce import dependence.
The decision is expected to reopen the U.S. market to Morocco’s state-owned phosphate producer, OCP Group, whose exports have faced anti-dumping and countervailing duties in recent years following U.S. trade rulings alleging Moroccan producers benefited from unfair government subsidies.
OCP welcomed the U.S. decision, describing it as an important step toward restoring Moroccan phosphate fertilizer exports to the American market.
The company said the move recognizes Morocco as a reliable, stable and strategic partner in supporting global food security and reflects the value of its long-term industrial strategy, which has focused on expanding production capacity, improving operational resilience and developing tailored soil nutrition solutions for farmers.
OCP said it has the production capacity and industrial flexibility to continue supplying international partners amid increasingly volatile agricultural supply chains and rising global fertilizer demand.
Morocco is the world’s largest holder of phosphate reserves, accounting for an estimated 70% of known global reserves. Through OCP, the country controls the entire phosphate value chain, from mining to fertilizer production, and supplies markets across Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas.
The U.S. announcement comes as other countries also seek to secure long-term access to Moroccan phosphate. Earlier this month, Japan’s agriculture minister, Norikazu Suzuki, led an official delegation to OCP’s industrial complex in Jorf Lasfar to strengthen fertilizer cooperation, while European countries have also intensified efforts to secure fertilizer supplies as part of broader food security strategies.
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