Turkey secures fertilizer supply deal with Russia and laurel export pact with China

Turkey has secured a critical fertilizer supply agreement with Russia to ensure agricultural security following disruptions in the Gulf. Following meetings between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit, a “Mineral Fertilizer Shipment Memorandum of Understanding” was signed in Moscow on September 8, 2026.

Under this agreement, Russia will exempt Turkey from the fertilizer export quotas and restrictions it has applied globally since March. This special corridor is intended to cover Turkey’s annual deficit of 2.5 to 3 million tons of urea, ammonia, and sulfur, which was previously sourced from the Gulf region, including Iran, Egypt, Oman, and Qatar. Shipping through the Gulf has been halted due to security risks in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a separate development regarding agricultural diplomacy, Turkey and China have signed a protocol for the export of laurel leaves. Turkish Agriculture Minister İbrahim Yumaklı noted that this agreement involves a market with an annual value of approximately $60 million. Yumaklı emphasized that such bilateral cooperation aims to expand access to international markets for various Turkish agricultural products and continues efforts to establish similar trade protocols for poultry and seafood.