Fertilisers that can combat nutrition deficiencies will be a major opportunity for GCC producers, according to an industry expert who spoke at a key convention in Dubai, UAE.

“Fertiliser producers in the Gulf region should look into micronutrient fortification, because this is the best way to ensure quality and quantity of food yield for both the developing and developed world,” said Esin Mete, president of the International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA) at the fifth annual Fertiliser Convention, organised by the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA).

“Micronutrient fortification - which involves adding key nutrients like zinc -  is a simple, affordable and sustainable solution to eradicating food deficiencies globally,” she said.

Mete highlighted that up to 2 billion people worldwide suffer from zinc deficiency, with 1.5 million child deaths due to the absence of this nutrient in their diets. She said Turkish fertiliser companies have tackled this challenge by adding zinc into their products, resulting in a generation of children free of this deficiency, $150 million in economic benefits and a 500 per cent increase in crop yield.

Micronutrient fortification in fertilisers will be an opportunity for innovation, trade ties and economic stability. “Fertiliser producers in the GCC will have a significant role to play because of exports,” she said.

In 2013, fertiliser producers in the Gulf manufactured 42.7 million tonnes of products, according to GPCA estimates. Nearly 50 per cent of this was exported to 80 countries.

Nutrient deficiency was a highlighted as a key challenge in global food security by Dr Terry Roberts, president of the International Plant Nutrition Institute, also.

He said roughly 842 million people worldwide are deficient in key nutrients like zinc, iron and vitamin A.  

“One in eight people go to bed hungry every night, yet at the same time, 1.4 billion people are overweight and 500 million are classified as obese,” said Dr Roberts. “We live in a world of extremes.”  

With scientists predicting that 40 per cent to 60 per cent of future crop yield coming from fertilisers, Dr Roberts said fertilisers will be crucial in feeding billions of people that will inhabit this planet in the next few decades. “Sustainable intensification, the method that will increase yields on existing lands in a way that is environmentally responsible, will be critical,” he said.

“The GCC’s fertiliser industry is an export oriented sector that has shown consistently high growth levels in the recent past. Figures for 2013 showed a capacity increase of 4 per cent from the previous year, which is remarkable because the global fertiliser industry grew just 1.7 per cent in the same period,” said Dr Abdulwahab Al Sadoun, secretary general, GPCA.

“While the consensus on future growth is positive, what fertiliser producers in the Arabian Gulf will need to focus on is innovation— specifically, to manufacture products that will not only have a positive impact on yield, and also benefit the health of billions of people that need to be fed.”

More than 300 delegates from 35 countries took part in the convention. Twenty-one speakers provided key insights into supply and demand from major markets around the globe.

The GPCA launched two industry reports during the event. The Role of GCC Fertilisers in Addressing Food Security, produced in collaboration with Nexant, is an in-depth study on major trends across the agriculture, food, energy and petrochemical industries. The 2013 GCC Fertiliser Industry Indicators was also released during the convention, offering a comprehensive statistical overview of the fertiliser industry in the Arab Gulf region. - TradeArabia News Service