India wants to set up phosphate processing plants in Morocco

Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Health and Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, would travel to North African countries to seal the said agreements, reports the Indian media mint, which specializes in economic information. The visit would also be an opportunity for Indian companies to explore the possibilities of setting up factories dedicated to the production of DAP and NPK.

″Morocco has huge reserves of phosphorus, an essential element for the production of fertilizers. Therefore, I plan to travel to Morocco on January 13-14 to sign a memorandum of understanding,″ Mandaviya said. New Delhi’s idea is to establish trade and investment links with countries rich in minerals, so as to diversify sources of supply and ensure its food sovereignty.

This is due to the fact that imports of DAP from China have stopped, following the war in Ukraine which has led to a surge in the price of raw materials. Thus, ″as part of the joint venture, private and public actors will take care of the extraction, production and delivery of fertilizers to India,″ added the minister.

Data from India’s Department of Chemicals and Fertilizers showed that India’s fertilizer requirement is about 43.5 million tons. India is totally dependent on imports of muriate of potash.

Imports in recent years have fluctuated between 2.4 million tonnes and 4.7 million tonnes. In the case of diammonium phosphate, approximately 60% of requirements are imported.