America gave Russians USD174 million for fertilizers in March

(MENAFN) An analysis of official data by RIA Novosti has shed light on a surprising trend in United States trade relations with Russia: despite being at the forefront of Western sanctions against Moscow, the United States has significantly increased its imports of fertilizers from Russia over the past year. According to the outlet's findings, American companies purchased a staggering USD174 million worth of fertilizer from Russia in March alone, marking a notable 10 percent increase from the previous February. Russia's share of United States fertilizer imports has surged from 9.7 percent to 17.1 percent over the past year, making it the second-largest exporter to the United States, trailing behind Canada.

The data further reveals that US imports of potash fertilizers experienced a remarkable 29 percent year-on-year increase in March, amounting to USD95.5 million. Additionally, nitrogen-containing fertilizers worth USD75.3 million and phosphorus fertilizers worth USD3.1 million were also purchased by the United States during the same period.

Despite facing unprecedented sanctions from the West since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in early 2022, Russian fertilizers and grain have managed to circumvent direct restrictive measures. However, their exports have been impacted by financial, shipping, and insurance constraints imposed on Moscow.

The surprising surge in United States fertilizer imports from Russia has raised eyebrows, particularly in light of the ongoing geopolitical tensions and the United State's vocal opposition to Russian actions. Tony Will, CEO of United States fertilizer producer CF Industries, highlighted the discrepancy between the rhetoric against funding the Russian war machine and the continued importation of Russian fertilizers by American agriculture companies. Will emphasized that the United State`s openness to Russian urea and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) imports effectively translates to supporting Russian natural gas, which is a key component in fertilizer production.

The data underscores the complexities of international trade dynamics and the challenges of enforcing sanctions in a globalized economy. Despite political rhetoric and diplomatic tensions, economic interests often dictate trade decisions, leading to unexpected outcomes and contradictions in foreign policy objectives.

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