Trade in commodities is not immune from the vicissitudes of general international trade, and that goes for fertilisers, too. In recent years the pace of trade liberalisation has slowed while restrictive trade measures have increased. Trade policy actions in 2018/2019 impacted movements of commodities, including fertilisers, according to a review by the International Fertilizer Association (IFA). They comprised a variety of initiatives such as trade defence measures, import bans and administrative import barriers. Some countries, including Nigeria and Vietnam, imposed import duties on nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) fertilisers or adopted anti-dumping measures on various N products (Ukraine, India, Australia, as well as in the EU). In early 2019 China applied a zero export tariff on all fertilisers and potash products. The most striking trade actions since 2018 have related to US-imposed sanctions on Iran and the escalation of trade tensions between the US and China. These trade tensions have had greater impacts on trade in agricultural commodities than on fertilisers. However, in early 2019 US sanctions on Iran led to a major diversion of urea and ammonia trade flows and a substitution of supply sources for traditional importers.
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