Morocco's fertilizer push targets Africa market

Thu Mar 10, 2011 5:55pm GMT

[-] Text [+]

* Moroccan OCP starts work on second fertiliser plant

* Announcement in midst of fertiliser use in Africa

* OCP hopes to forge partnerships in continent

By Souhail Karam

MARRAKESH, Morocco, March 10 (Reuters) - Morocco's state-run phosphate monopoly OCP said on Wednesday it has started work on a new fertiliser plant as it seeks to strengthen its presence and sales to Africa's underproductive agricultural sector.

The plant is part of a plan OCP announced last year to turn the world's top phosphate reserves holder into the biggest producer of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and monoammonium phosphate (MAP) by mid-2015.

The 1-million tonne per annum plant is the second of four OCP plans to build as it gears up for a surge in global demand from farmers for fertilizers.

OCP, or Office Cherifien des Phosphates, awarded in December an EPC contract for the first plant to a joint-venture it has formed with U.S. Jacobs Engineering Group (JEC.N: Quote). Continued...

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