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Morocco Leads Fertilizer Suppliers to the European Union in 2025, Strengthening Its Position as a Strategic Partner for Food Security
Morocco has solidified its strategic position within the European economic framework after officially topping the list of fertilizer suppliers to EU countries in 2025. This significant geo-economic shift has reshaped the landscape of food security and agricultural supply chains across the continent.
According to the latest data from Eurostat, Morocco captured a 19 percent market share of the total fertilizer imports by the European Union, surpassing prominent traditional suppliers, including Russia and Egypt.
The same data revealed that Russia dropped to second place with a 12.8 percent share, followed by Egypt at 12 percent. This shift reflects a clear change in the structure of European supplies, amidst a continued decline in Russian exports throughout 2025, after three years of growth despite the repercussions of the war in Ukraine.
Russia’s share of European fertilizer imports sharply decreased, falling from 25.8 percent at the beginning of the year to 12.8 percent by the end. This is a significant drop from 28.2 percent four years ago, indicating a rapid acceleration of Brussels’ “economic disengagement” strategy towards Moscow.
This transformation occurs against a backdrop of unprecedented contraction in trade exchanges between the EU and Russia, with European exports to the Russian market not surpassing €7.25 billion in the third quarter of 2025, compared to imports valued at €5.73 billion. This resulted in a trade surplus of nearly €1.5 billion for the EU, marking the first occurrence of such since statistics began being recorded in 2002.
Overall, trade between the two parties declined by 12.9 percent during the first nine months of the year, settling at around €43.9 billion.
In this context, Morocco has emerged as a reliable strategic alternative to secure the European market’s fertilizer needs, particularly after the European local industry suffered from rising energy and natural gas costs, which had previously led some countries to rely on cheaper Russian fertilizers.
However, geopolitical considerations accelerated the redistribution of market shares, prompting the EU to view Morocco as a partner characterized by geographic proximity, political stability, and high production capacity, largely due to the industrial and logistical infrastructure provided by the OCP Group.
Eurostat confirmed that the current data reflects a systematic substitution process, wherein Russian supplies are being replaced by imports from more reliable countries, with Morocco at the forefront. The nation has successfully reinforced its position as a primary supplier and a key guarantee of European agricultural security.
This progress is built on several competitive factors, including stable trade flows, developed port infrastructure, strict adherence to contracts, and a commitment to avoiding the use of food or fertilizers as a political leverage tool—elements increasingly valued in European decision-making circles.
As 2026 approaches, Morocco is solidifying its role as a central hub for European agricultural systems, which are increasingly dependent on safe, regular, and sustainable access to fertilizers. This strengthens the Kingdom’s position as a pivotal global player in the phosphate market and a strategic partner in the equation of international food security.
