NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — The fertilizer market saw a meaningful shift this week after the Trump Administration confirmed that major fertilizers will be exempt from tariff rates — a development that immediately pressured urea values and opened the door for more normal trade flows.
According to Josh Linville of StoneX, NOLA urea dropped 6–8% on the announcement, easing one of the most significant pain points heading into spring. Some key suppliers had been facing tariffs of 30% or more, and removing those hurdles allows the U.S. to resume sourcing urea more efficiently. Linville cautions, however, that this is not a “silver bullet,” as urea still needs to trade at a level that discourages imports without incentivizing exports.
Other nitrogen markets reacted more quietly. UAN prices were steady due to limited activity and ongoing tight supply-and-demand fundamentals, and NH3 showed little movement given that the U.S. manufactures most of its own ammonia.
Phosphate saw the next-largest benefit: removing tariffs should reopen flows from Saudi Arabia, offering relief for spring, even as Russia, Morocco, and China still face other economic hurdles. Potash, sourced mainly from Canada, remains largely unaffected.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Urea and phosphate see the biggest price relief from tariff exemptions, but nitrogen markets remain tight, and spring demand will still dictate pricing momentum.
Tony St. James, RFD-TV Markets Specialist
CoBank Lead Energy Economist Teri Viswanath discusses their analysis of rising energy costs, rural impacts, and the outlook for fuel prices amid ongoing global uncertainty.
April 15, 2026 03:33 PM
·
The analysis models how trade disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz may continue to drive up the cost of fertilizer.
April 15, 2026 01:10 PM
·
National Land Realty’s Jeramy Stephens explains how rising input costs and economic uncertainty are impacting the farmland market and what landowners should watch moving forward.
April 15, 2026 12:58 PM
·
Higher fuel costs are raising grain shipping expenses. RealAg Radio’s Shaun Haney discusses how energy market disruptions are impacting farmers in new ways as the War in Iran continues.
April 15, 2026 12:09 PM
·
A late-season freeze in northeast Louisiana has forced farmers to replant thousands of corn acres, adding costs, straining seed supplies, and raising concerns about shifting to soybeans.
April 14, 2026 03:50 PM
·
Superior Livestock Auctions markets more than 1.7 million head of cattle nationwide while also building long-term relationships between both cattle raisers and beef producers.
April 14, 2026 03:12 PM
·
