Saskatchewan’s Premier Scott Moe expressed that it is “not surprising” that U.S. President Donald Trump has seemingly reaffirmed his intention to utilize Canadian potash, despite his comments regarding the possibility of importing significant amounts of the mineral from Belarus.
“It wasn’t realistic,” Moe stated during an interview with CBC’s Power & Politics on Tuesday.
“[Belarus is] directing all of their potash eastward, not towards the Western world, and that has been made clear,” he added.
Moe’s remarks followed Trump’s social media announcement on Monday, where he declared that the United States was negotiating a “massive Deal” to acquire potash from Belarus, with costs significantly lower than those for Canadian potash.
Experts have already pointed out the difficulties associated with the potential agreement, with Josh Linville from StoneX stating that he doubts Belarusian potash will significantly impact supplies for U.S. farmers or lead to price reductions.
“I’m concerned that the effect would be minimal. We have not had difficulty sourcing potash,” Linville told Thomson Reuters. “What we really need assistance with are phosphate and nitrogen.”
U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned on Monday that the U.S. is pursuing a deal to buy potash from Belarus at a lower price than what is currently paid to Canada.
During his address at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Trump seemed to shift away from his earlier statement.
“We will continue to go with Canada, but Belarus wants to sell it for a much lower price,” Trump noted.
Potash plays a crucial role in fertilizers. In 2024, Canada contributed nearly one-third of the global potash production, all sourced from Saskatchewan.
As reported by Natural Resources Canada, since the Potash and Agri Development Corporation of Manitoba (PADCOM) initiated commercial production in June, 11 out of the 12 operating potash mines in Canada are situated in Saskatchewan.
Moe has characterized Saskatchewan’s potash sector as both ethically and economically superior to other global suppliers.
He referred to Belarus’s product as “blood potash,” asserting that its revenues contribute to “support Russian aggression” in Ukraine.
Canada is the leading producer of potash globally, all sourced from 10 active mines in Saskatchewan. U.S. President Donald Trump states he is pursuing a deal to buy potash from Belarus at a lower price. But is it feasible for Belarus to replace our supply? Here are the facts.
On Tuesday, Moe reiterated his criticism, asserting that Trump’s statements were neither realistic nor ethical.
“Saskatchewan ensures a dependable [potash] supply, possesses all the necessary infrastructure to deliver that supply, and is projected to have increased potash availability in the future. Therefore, it is logical to engage in business,” Moe told Power & Politics host David Cochrane.
The premier of Saskatchewan refrained from speculating on the reasons behind Trump’s announcement. Moe mentioned that he struggles to comprehend many of the president’s policy decisions.
Instead, Moe suggested that there might be pressure from agricultural states in the Midwest as the U.S. midterm elections approach. In his initial social media post about the potential deal, Trump stated it would be “very good news for our Farmers and Ranchers.”