US President Donald Trump said Washington is working on a “massive deal” to purchase potash from Belarus, potentially reducing the United States’ reliance on Canadian supplies.


“The United States is working on a massive Deal with respect to the purchase of Potash from Belarus. The pricing would be for substantially less than we are currently paying to Canada, very good news for our Farmers and Ranchers,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.


Canada is the world’s leading potash exporter, shipping around 22.9 million tonnes in 2024 and accounting for more than 39% of global exports, according to the Government of Canada. The United States is the main destination for Canadian potash, with nearly 85% of US imports coming from Canada.


Belarus ranks third globally in potash production, behind Canada and Russia.


Trump’s comments come amid ongoing trade tensions between Washington and Ottawa. In June, Trump said there was nothing the United States needed from Canada. However, US Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra later said Washington needs a “tremendous amount of things” from Canada, including potash, because there are “not lots of other places that you can get it.”


Canada’s premiers have differed over whether the country should use critical mineral exports as leverage in trade disputes with the United States.


Ontario Premier Doug Ford has previously advocated retaliatory measures against Trump’s tariffs, including restricting US access to electricity, oil and other minerals. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, however, have warned of the long-term economic consequences of such measures.


Canada’s 10 active potash mines are located in Saskatchewan, which supplies more than 86% of Canada’s potash imported by the United States.


Moe has said Saskatchewan would oppose export taxes or efforts to restrict supplies to the US, warning that losing its largest customer could lead to job losses, higher prices and significant economic damage.


“The United States of America, most assuredly, would switch to buying potash from other nations around the world. We would lose a long-term customer to some degree,” Moe said.


Smith echoed Moe’s position in July, saying that using oil and potash as retaliatory measures “is not going to happen.”


By Vafa Guliyeva