March 17, Pozirk. Hungarian Agriculture Minister István Nagy proposed a temporary reduction of tariffs on Belarusian and Russian fertilizers to 0 percent, citing the war in Iran as a key factor disrupting global fertilizer markets, Politico reports.
Hungary could face reduced crop yields if access to cheaper fertilizer imports remains restricted, the minister argued in a letter to Christophe Hansen and Maroš Šefčovič, European commissioners for agriculture and food and trade and economic security, respectively. Hungary produces only nitrogen fertilizers and relies on imports of phosphorus and potash, Nagy noted.
The official described Belarus as one of the world’s leading producers of phosphorus- and potassium- based fertilizers and Hungary’s most important supplier of these goods.
The EU’s current duties on fertilizers from Russia and Belarus have been in force since July 2025, including 6.5-percent tariffs on fertilizer imports as well as duties of between €40 and €45 per ton for the 2025-2026 period. These tariffs were projected to rise to €430 per ton by 2028.
Revenues from the sale of Russian and Belarusian fertilizers in the EU are considered to directly contribute to financing Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The EU is punishing its own producers and consumers by increasing import duties on Belarusian agricultural products, Rusłan Varankoŭ, the Belarusian foreign ministry spokesman, said last year, commenting on new tariffs.
Hungary has consistently opposed the tightening of sanctions against Belarus and Russia. Budapest has also been blocking the 20th package of sanctions against Russia for its aggression against Ukraine.
