U.S. Commerce keeps Russian phosphate duties at rates up to 24.11%

The U.S. Department of Commerce has recommended that countervailing duties remain in place on Russian phosphate fertilizer imports, concluding in its first five-year sunset review that Russian producers would continue to receive countervailable subsidies if the order were revoked. The Russian phosphate duties were set at 24.11% for EuroChem, 14.64% for PhosAgro and 16.64% for all other producers in final results posted on June 30.

Commerce noted that the Russian review was expedited because interest from domestic parties Mosaic and Simplot was adequate, while Russia did not respond or participate in the proceedings. The revised rates depart from the original 2021 determination, which had assigned 9.19% to PhosAgro and 47.05% to EuroChem.

The agency separately recommended retaining countervailing duties on Moroccan phosphate imports, despite the eight-month suspension of that measure implemented in June. That duty-free window reopened the US market to OCP tonnes, but leaves the producer facing a longer-term duty framework once the pause expires.

The 2021 orders followed a Mosaic petition alleging that Moroccan and Russian phosphate imports materially injured the domestic industry. Many traders were unsurprised by Russia’s absence from the sunset process, but remain uncertain how OCP will proceed now that both rulings have landed.

Source: Argus Media