The U.S. Department of Commerce has concluded that phosphate fertilizers from Russia are receiving unfair government subsidies. This determination means that interactions exist between certain producers/exporters and government support programs, providing them with specific advantages. The department plans to impose countervailing duties on these products to level the playing field. The final decision depends on whether the U.S. International Trade Commission finds that these subsidies harmed or threatened the U.S. domestic industry.
Simple Explanation
Imagine a kid playing a game where some players have magic shoes that make them run faster, but the magic shoes are given by the kid's parents. Other players donβt have these shoes, so it's not fair. The U.S. government found out that Russia gave special shoes (help or money) to their players (companies), making them better at selling a type of fertilizer. To make the game fair, the U.S. plans to add extra rules (taxes) to stop the unfair advantage.