Algeria has directed domestic urea producers to halt fertilizer shipments to France. Diplomats and industry sources said the move marks an intensification of trade curbs stemming from a widening diplomatic rift between Algiers and Paris.
Bilateral ties deteriorated severely in 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron backed an autonomy plan for the Western Sahara region under Moroccan sovereignty, angering Algerian officials.
Both capitals attempted to repair relations last year. They declared at one point that ties had returned to normal, but the partnership soured once more.
News of the urea export freeze surfaced early last week. The French fertilizer industry association Afcome and the wheat growers group AGPB warned that the halt threatens supplies that make up roughly 30 percent of French urea imports.
Three diplomats confirmed that Algeria issued a direct instruction to suspend these shipments. They formed part of a group of six French and European diplomats who stated that Algiers also imposed a near-blanket ban on French imports in late July.
All diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions. Any disruption to Algerian urea threatens French farmers who depend on nitrogen-based fertilizers to maintain crop yields while struggling with elevated costs.
The dispute carries political sensitivity for President Emmanuel Macron’s administration. The government faces mounting pressure to protect producers and households from rising expenses while managing fraught relations with Algeria, a subject that sharply polarizes French politics.
France experienced severe unrest over the weekend, and potential friction with the agricultural sector over fertilizer supplies could intensify domestic pressure.
Like previous trade barriers, including an Algerian halt on French wheat imports that began in 2024, sources reported no formal public announcement from the Algerian government regarding the urea restrictions.
The Algerian embassy in Paris did not immediately reply to emailed inquiries. Algeria’s trade and foreign ministries were unavailable for comment.
The French foreign ministry stated that it had received no official notification concerning the trade restrictions. Officials added that trade matters fall under the competence of the European Union, noting that Paris watches the issue closely.
