In brief

• Lukashenko confirmed plans to build another nitrogen fertilizer plant in Belarus.
• He called for more phosphate fertilizer production and noted that a trial batch of potash fertilizers has been sent to the United States.
• The statements were made on November 9 in Shklov, days after a $20 billion agricultural export target was announced.

Plans for new fertilizer capacity

Alexander Lukashenko has confirmed that Belarus intends to build one more plant producing nitrogen fertilizers. He also called for expanding phosphate fertilizer production. According to reports, he spoke on November 9 in Shklov, at a meeting devoted to modern approaches to regional development (Лукашэнка пацвердзіў, што мае намер будаваць яшчэ адзін азотны камбінат – Nasza Niwa) (Лукашенко подтвердил планы строительства нового азотного комбината – Reform.news).

Lukashenko said that Belarus has already shipped a trial batch of potash fertilizers to the United States, and that American buyers are interested in further supplies. He stressed, however, that domestic farmers must be supplied first.

He argued that fertilizers currently command a good price on world markets, and that complex fertilizers containing several nutrients are especially in demand.

Storage and infrastructure

Lukashenko stated that the government must create proper warehouses and storage bases, saying fertilizers should not be left in the open air.

Context: export target for agriculture

The same week, on November 7, Lukashenko set the agricultural sector a goal of raising food exports to $20 billion, without specifying a deadline. He made the statement during a visit to the Govyady-Agro farm in Shklov district, Mogilev region (Лукашенко потребовал увеличить экспорт сельхозпродукции до 20 млрд долларов и пригрозил аграриям отправкой в укрепрайоны – Reform.news).

He said rising global food prices create an opportunity for Belarus and that the country should use it to expand exports.