MOSCOW: US President Donald Trump declared a national emergency due to a potential fertiliser shortage and temporarily suspended some duties on phosphate fertilisers from Morocco to support the country’s agricultural production, the White House said, according to Sputnik/RIA Novosti.
On Monday, the US Department of Commerce decided to maintain countervailing duties on phosphate fertilisers from Russia.
“Today, President Donald J. Trump took action to safeguard America’s food supply and support domestic agricultural production by authorising the temporary suspension of certain duties on phosphate fertiliser imported from Morocco.
“The proclamation declares an emergency regarding threats to the availability of sufficient supplies of fertilisers to meet America’s agricultural demand,” the White House said in a statement on Monday.
The measure will remain in effect for eight months or until the national emergency ends, the statement added.
In late May, the Financial Times newspaper reported that companies around the world were cutting production of phosphate fertilisers due to disruptions in sulphur supplies amid the conflict in West Asia. – BERNAMA-SPUTNIK/RIA NOVOSTI
