MOSCOW, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Russia has temporarily suspended exports of ammonium nitrate in a bid to ensure sufficient supplies for domestic farmers during the spring sowing season, the Ministry of Agriculture announced on its website Tuesday.

A harvester is seen on the outskirts of Vladivostok, Russia, Sept. 13, 2022. (File photo: Xinhua)

The restriction, which took effect on March 21, will remain in place until April 21, 2026. According to the ministry, licenses previously issued or currently being processed for ammonium nitrate exports have been put on hold. However, deliveries carried out under intergovernmental agreements are exempt from the measure.

Amid rising global demand for nitrogen fertilizers, the export suspension aims to prioritize the domestic market, ensure that Russian farmers have adequate access to key inputs, and enable uninterrupted spring fieldwork, said the ministry.

The move came after recent disruptions of supply in the global fertilizer market due to the current Iran war and a break in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for about one-third of global fertilizer trade.

The situation has spurred demand for supplies from Russia, which accounts for roughly one-fifth of global fertilizer exports.