U.S. suspends some duties on Moroccan phosphate fertilizers as supply concerns grow
The move gives Moroccan fertilizer exporters short term relief while the U.S. reviews its trade measures.
MOROCCO – The United States has temporarily suspended certain customs duties on phosphate fertilizers imported from Morocco, citing concerns about food production and fertilizer supply as global trade faces fresh pressure.
President Donald Trump announced the measure on June 29 through a proclamation published by the White House. The suspension will remain in place for up to eight months or until the current state of emergency ends, whichever comes first.
“Producers from countries such as the Kingdom of Morocco can supply the United States with phosphate fertilizers without disruption at this point. It is imperative to immediately facilitate the import of phosphate fertilizers from the Kingdom of Morocco in order to mitigate the significant risk to U.S. agricultural and food production, protect U.S. economic and national security, and ensure a stable domestic food supply,” the proclamation states.
Morocco holds about 50 billion metric tons of phosphate reserves, representing nearly 70% of global reserves. The country plays a key role in the international fertilizer market through the Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP) and other producers.
The decision follows years of trade action against Moroccan phosphate fertilizers. Since March 2021, the products have faced countervailing duties after a complaint by Mosaic Group, which argued that Moroccan imports harmed the U.S. market. The duty rate started at 19.97%, fell to 2.12% in November 2023, then increased to 16.81% in November 2024.
The White House action also follows a request made in April by Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas, who introduced legislation calling for the removal of the duties. He pointed to rising fertilizer prices after supply disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz affected global shipments.
A January 2026 study by the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University found that the countervailing duties increased phosphate fertilizer costs for U.S. field crop producers by about US$6.9 billion (US$6.9 billion) between the 2021 and 2025 crop years.
The temporary suspension could help Moroccan exporters regain ground in the U.S. market. According to TradeMap data, the United States imported fertilizers worth about US$150 million from Morocco in 2025, the second lowest annual value in the past decade. That figure remained well below the 2018 peak of US$788 million.
Even so, uncertainty remains. The U.S. Department of Commerce has been carrying out a five year review of the countervailing duties since March. Earlier this month, the department extended the deadline for its preliminary decision to July 20, meaning Moroccan exporters still await the outcome of the wider trade review.
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