Belarus exported 3.2 million mt of potash in the first half of 2023, almost “double” the volumes of last year’s first half, according to Bloomberg, citing data from the International Fertilizer Association (IFA).
Laura Cross, IFA Director of Market Intelligence, said the increase was fueled by higher volumes of Belarusian potash transiting to China by rail, replacing some of the lost volumes previously railed across Lithuania to the Lithuanian Baltic Sea port of Klaipėda.
Belarus railed more than 1 million mt of potash to China last year, according to an Interfax report in January, citing Belarus Transport and Communications Minister Alexey Avramenko (GM Jan. 6, p. 28).
Belaruskali Director General Ivan Golovaty, as cited last month by BelTA, the country’s state-run news agency, said Belarus’ sole potash producer has exported some 6.5 million mt of potash so far this year (GM Sept. 29, p. 27). Belarus is continuing to target the export of “at least 8 million mt” of potash in 2023 (GM Sept. 29, p. 27).