Russia ramps up fertilizer supplies 1.7-fold to China in 2023, mainly potassium

MOSCOW. Jan 30 (Interfax) - China boosted imports of Russian mineral fertilizers 1.7-fold year-on-year to nearly 3.5 million tonnes in 2023, the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China said in a statement.

The figure rose 26% to $1.3 billion in monetary terms.

Supplies of potassium chloride, which is the main type of fertilizer that China imports from Russia, reached 3 million tonnes in 2023, up from 1.7 million tonnes in 2022, with the figure rising 25% to $1.1 billion in monetary terms.

Potassium supplies from Belarus to China also increased to nearly 3.5 million tonnes totaling $1.5 billion versus 1.9 million tonnes totaling $900 million in 2022.

China imported 2.25 million tonnes of potassium chloride from Russia and 1.75 million tonnes from Belarus in 2021, respectively.

Supplies of complex fertilizers from Russia to China increased by 1.6-fold to 400,000 tonnes in volume terms and by 37% to $183,000 in money terms in 2023.