Africa
7 July 2026
Egypt imposes 10% export duty on nitrogen fertilizer
Egypt has introduced a 10% export duty on nitrogen fertilizers under Decree No. 258 of 2026, issued by Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Mohamed Farid. The duty applies to the free on board (FOB) value of nitrogen fertilizer exports and is calculated on the invoice value submitted to the Egyptian Customs Authority before shipment. The new measure follows an earlier three month export duty introduced in May on nitrogen based fertilizer exports, set at $90 per tonne or its equivalent in Egyptian pounds.
“The change indicates a shift from a fixed levy to a more flexible export tax regime. While the fixed $90/t duty was introduced when urea prices exceeded $800/t in May 2026, the subsequent decline to the low $400s/t by end-June 2026 sharply increased its relative burden on exporters and weakened competitiveness. The adoption of a 10% FOB-based export duty suggests that Egypt’s priority is to secure fiscal revenues without materially constraining exports,” explained Pranshi Goyal, Senior Analyst for CRU’s Urea Market Service.
Export invoices must be certified by the Chamber of Chemical Industries, part of the Federation of Egyptian Industries, adding an extra administrative step for exporters. Pure ammonium nitrate with a nitrogen concentration above 34.2% is exempt from the duty, but exporters must undergo verification procedures to prove that shipments meet the concentration threshold. Samples will be taken from qualifying cargoes and analysed by a joint committee from the Customs Authority and the General Organization for Export and Import Control before exemptions are approved.
