A vessel carrying about 54,000 metric tons of Moroccan phosphate fertilizer has arrived at the Port of New Orleans, restoring an OCP Group supply route to the United States after Washington temporarily suspended import duties.
OCP North America announced the arrival on August 17, saying the triple superphosphate fertilizer, or TSP, would be distributed to American farmers before the fall application season.
“The temporary relief has enabled Moroccan phosphate fertilizer to return to the U.S. market,” OCP North America CEO Kevin Kimm said. “We are now focused on helping supplement available supply and ensuring American farmers have access to the fertilizer they need.”
President Donald Trump authorized the temporary suspension on June 29 after declaring an emergency over fertilizer availability. The measure covers eight months or until the emergency ends, whichever comes first.
OCP said it consulted the US Commerce Department and other federal authorities after the announcement to clarify customs and implementation requirements before dispatching shipments. The company said those requirements had now been finalized and customer demand secured, allowing additional cargoes to proceed during the suspension.
Countervailing duties imposed in 2021 sharply restricted Moroccan phosphate fertilizer imports after U.S. authorities found that subsidized imports had injured domestic producers. The original order applied a 19.97% rate to OCP, although subsequent reviews changed the applicable deposit rate.
“Over five years of restricted access to Moroccan phosphate fertilizers have left U.S. farmers exposed to a shrinking pool of suppliers. Meanwhile, U.S. domestic phosphate mining has declined by more than 50 percent since 1995. Current market conditions have led many farmers to defer fertilizer application decisions this season,” OCP said.
The US Agriculture Department estimates that additional Moroccan supply could reduce phosphate fertilizer prices by as much as 22%, generating about $1.82 billion in annual savings across approximately 100,000 farms and 97 million planted acres.
TSP provides phosphorus without combining it with other primary nutrients, allowing farmers to tailor applications to individual crops and soil conditions.
OCP said the product supports the “4R” approach of applying the right nutrient source at the right rate, time and place.
The company said longer-term certainty over U.S. trade policy would support investment in its North American distribution and supply capabilities. The current measure suspends the duties temporarily but does not repeal them.
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