GCC fertiliser industry earned $6.5 billion in revenues
in 2014
GCC fertiliser industry more than doubles in 10 years
DUBAI, September 4, 2015
With a production capacity of 40.9 million tonnes, the Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) fertiliser capacity has grown by 102 per cent since 2004, according to the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA).
Dr Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, secretary general, GPCA, said: “Rising from relatively humble beginnings, the GCC’s fertiliser industry has seen remarkable growth in the last ten years, earning $6.5 billion in revenues in 2014.
“This export oriented industry supplies valuable products to farmers all around the world, improving food security in Asia, India and Europe and thereby solidifying trade relations between the Arabian Gulf producers and its diverse markets.”
With a production capacity of 17.2 million tonnes and 10.7 million tonnes respectively, Saudi Arabia and Qatar lead fertiliser production in the region.
“With the launch of Safco 5 this year, notable for possessing one of the world’s largest carbon capture units, and Maaden’s Waad Al Shamal phosphates facility in 2016, Saudi fertilizers will continue to see much dynamism in the near future,” said Dr Al-Sadoun.
Qatar is the largest urea producer in the region, manufacturing 37 per cent of the GCC’s production of this commodity. Additionally, Qafco operates the largest single site ammonia and urea production plant.
Looking ahead, the GCC’s fertiliser manufacturers can look into diversifying their product portfolio to include specialty fertilisers, said a GPCA statement.
To date, only 396,000 tonnes of specialty fertilisers are currently produced in the GCC, it said.
“Specialty fertilisers have unique qualities that define them against urea or diammonium phosphate fertilisers,” said Dr Al- Sadoun.
“It is these innovative characteristics that yield a higher return in the global marketplace and therefore result in greater returns for the producer and the good news is that the UAE has already demonstrated that it can manufacture this valuable product.”
The topic of innovation will be a key focus at the upcoming GPCA Fertilizer Convention, to be held under the theme ‘Innovating for growth: Ensuring an efficient, sustainable future.’
The conference, which will be held from September 14 to 16, will shed light on how the GCC’s fertiliser industry can contribute to global food security while embracing an environmentally sustainable future. - TradeArabia News Service
