What is potash, and why is the US importing it from Belarus?

The United States is preparing to receive its first shipment of Belarusian potash in four years, as President Donald Trump seeks cheaper fertiliser for American farmers amid rising costs linked to the Iran war and a trade dispute with Canada.A 30,000-tonne shipment of potash is expected to arrive at the Port of New Orleans on Wednesday, according to data from Kpler. The shipment follows Washington’s decision to lift sanctions on major Belarusian potash producers in March, opening an avenue for trade to resume.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Belarus frees 25 political prisoners in return for US sanctions relieflist 2 of 3With the US and Canada locked in a trade war, fears of a recession lurklist 3 of 3Belarus frees 123 prisoners including Ales Bialiatski as US lifts sanctionsend of listAlthough this shipment from Belarus accounts for only a fraction of the 5.6 million tonnes of potash the US imported last year, it signals a tentative opening of relations between Washington and Minsk.Trump has said the US is working on a larger agreement to buy Belarusian fertiliser at prices substantially below what it pays Canada, its dominant supplier. But analysts have questioned wh...