Trump says US is working on Belarus potash deal amid Canada trade fight

President Donald Trump said the US is working with Belarus to secure more potash as trade tensions with Canada threaten supplies of the fertilizer ingredient.

“The United States is working on a massive Deal with respect to the purchase of Potash from Belarus,” Trump said in a social media post Monday. He said the price would be substantially below what the US currently pays Canada.

The comments came as the US and Canada impose tit-for-tat tariffs. Trump’s levies do not apply to several major Canadian exports, including oil, potash and critical minerals, underscoring their importance to the US economy.

Canada is one of the world’s largest potash exporters, and any restriction on shipments to the US could affect American agriculture. Shares of Canadian fertilizer producer Nutrien fell as much as 5.2%, while Mosaic dropped 5.9% intraday before paring losses.

The US is pushing Ukraine and European allies to ease restrictions on Belarusian fertilizer. Washington lifted some of its own restrictions earlier this year after Belarus released hundreds of political prisoners under a deal with President Alexander Lukashenko.

Belarus shipped more than 700,000 tons of potassium fertilizer to the US in 2021, compared with roughly 13 million tons of total US imports in 2025. Nearly 90% of last year’s imports came from Canada, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

It remains unclear whether Belarus can supply much more. Production for the year is already under contract, and transport has faced logistical hurdles since Lithuania’s rail system ended its contract with state-run Belaruskali in 2022. US potash spot prices are at their highest level since July 2023, adding to pressure on farmers and ranchers.