As the US rock production continues to drop due to several factors (environmental, raising costs…), the Chinese output has kept growing in recent years, increasing the country’s share of global production to 40 pc.
According to some experts’ estimates, the Americans need now to import annually about 3 million tonnes of rock to make up for the drop in output and meet the increasing demand for fertilizers.
On the contrary, the Chinese rock production has doubled over the past decade due to soaring domestic demand but experts wonder whether this upward trend will continue?
Morocco’s OCP is also a key global player in the Industry. Its rock output is expected to improve in the few coming years thanks to the scheduled upgrading of production process and logistics.
The Moroccan phosphate producer and exporter has also laid out ambitious expansion plans, which experts say, will have an impact on the global seaborne market.
The increasing demand for Phosphate based fertilizers and the soaring rock prices have pushed mines in South America (Peru) and the Middle East (Saudi Arabia) to speed up production, while other big producers have unveiled growth & development plans for Africa, Europe, South America, the Middle East, Asia and Oceania for the next four years.
