No More Cheap Potash for Europe — Lukashenko Orders Belarus Fertilizers Stay Home to Feed the World

In a characteristically blunt speech during a visit to the southeast of Mogilev region, President Alexander Lukashenko has drawn a firm line: Belarus will no longer rush to sell its valuable potash fertilizers abroad for quick foreign currency. Instead, the precious resource will be directed onto domestic fields to grow food — a product that, in today’s turbulent world, is becoming far more expensive and strategically important than raw minerals.

The move marks a clear strategic shift: from exporting raw materials to producing and selling high-value agricultural goods.

“I Gave It to You — And You Ruined It!”

Lukashenko did not mince words as he lashed out at local officials and ministers for chronic mismanagement and broken promises. He recounted a telling conversation with one of his aides about the temptation to sell potash at sky-high international prices:

“Turchin calls me about fertilizers. ‘You understand, the prices on the world market are enormous. We could sell it and earn a fortune in currency.’

I told him: ‘No. You will not sell it in April or May.’

We took money from the budget, we could have earned five times more — and I gave it to you. And you ruined it.”

The president warned that any negligence in storing or applying the fertilizers would be punished severely. “I will remember everything,” he said, threatening dismissals — and even hinted that if more than ten people are found guilty, the minister himself would be the eleventh.

The New Logic: Food Over Fertilizer

Lukashenko’s reasoning is pragmatic and long-term. Belarusian miners extract potash with hard labor. Rather than selling it cheaply as raw fertilizer to Europe and elsewhere, the country should use it wisely on its own land: apply it correctly, grow record harvests, process the crops, and export finished food products that now command premium prices — often higher than oil, gold, or natural gas.

Last year, Belarusian food and agricultural exports already hit a record $10 billion — and the figure continues to climb. Selling processed food brings significantly higher profits than trading raw potash.

The president is pushing what he calls a “proper хозяйский approach” — treating the land as a true national treasure that must be managed with care and intelligence.

Why Plans Keep Failing

Despite the clear directive, implementation faces serious hurdles:

The southeast of Mogilev region is a challenging area with stony soils and patches of contaminated land.

Bureaucratic delays often mean fertilizers arrive too late for optimal application.

Rural depopulation is severe: young people are leaving for cities (Minsk has already surpassed 2 million residents), and few want the hard, dawn-to-dusk labor of farming.

Entire villages are dying out — some, like Gvaltovnik in Shklov district, have practically disappeared.

Lukashenko openly acknowledged the cultural shift: too many dream of easy money through Instagram, streaming, and blogging, while few are willing to work the land.

A 30-Year Bet on the Land

For three decades, Lukashenko has consistently promoted the idea that “the land is our mother” and must be treated like a wise owner treats his property. He demands proper storage, timely and correct application of fertilizers, maximum yield from every hectare, and personal accountability from officials — many of whom themselves come from agricultural backgrounds.

His strategy is straightforward: move away from selling cheap raw materials and instead capture the much higher added value of food production. Even with chronic problems of discipline, difficult soils in certain regions, and rural flight, the president insists on restoring order.

Whether Belarus can successfully execute this pivot in the near term remains an open question. But one thing is clear: Alexander Lukashenko has decided that, in an era when global hunger threatens not only Africa but looms larger worldwide, Belarus will bet on becoming a serious player in the international food market — rather than a cheap supplier of fertilizers to Europe.

The land feeds the nation — but only if it has a strong, demanding master. That is exactly what “Batka” is trying to enforce across the entire vertical of power