The Russian government has increased the export quota for ammonium nitrate (AN) by 300,000 mt, according to an Interfax report, citing a government press service statement. The increase is aimed at allowing Russian fertilizer producers to export surplus product, provided that the needs of the domestic market are met in full, according to the statement.
The quota on AN exports was originally 225,000 mt from Jan. 1-March 31 and 828,500 mt from April 1-May 31. In late January, the government increased the AN export quota by 375,000 mt (GM Jan. 27, p. 1).
With this week’s increase, the total export quota for certain types of fertilizers that runs until May 31 will now exceed 12.6 million mt. In addition to AN, the current export quotes mainly apply to urea and UAN, as well as to compound fertilizers.
The Russian government is also looking to extend export quotas on certain types of fertilizer for another six months beyond May 31 to help support the domestic market, according to another Interfax report, citing Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev.
According to this week’s report, Russia’s Industry and Trade Ministry and the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service are working on the extension of the current set of measures to Nov. 30, 2023, as well as on fixing the selling prices on the domestic market.
Russia first introduced quotas for the export of nitrogen and complex fertilizers on Dec. 1, 2021 (GM Nov. 5, 2021). They were due to expire on May 31, 2022, but the Russian government extended the quotas to run from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2022. Last December, Moscow extended the export quotas to run until May 31, 2023 (GM Dec. 23, 2022).