OREANDA-NEWS. July 14, 2010. The Belarusian government has set Belaruskali a task to increase potash exports 140% on the year in 2010 to 7 million tonnes, a source in the administration of the country told.

He said the task is necessitated by the short revenues from export of oil products.

“The target to reach 7 million tonnes is very tough, because the market has not completely revived yet; besides, prices are not growing now,” he said.

“So far the average export price has been a bit less than USD 300 per tonne.”

The preliminary plan for the producer was to make 7.25 million tonnes of potash this year and export 6 million tonnes.

Belarusian potash producer Belaruskali exported 2.967 million tonnes of potash fertilizers in the first five months of the year, almost the same as in the twelve months of 2009.

Last year, export of Belarusian potash fertilizers amounted to 2.948 million tonnes, compared to 6.48 million tonnes in 2008.

Belaruskali is one of the largest potash makers in the world, employing about 20,000 personnel. The company plans to increase its output to 9.65 million tonnes annually by 2015. Belaruskali accounts for 16% of the world potash export.