Phosphate market to hit 68.7 million metric tons by 2015

Fertilizers make up the majority chunk of global phosphate production, with demand for phosphorous fertilizers primarily driven by high consumption levels in developing and large populous countries such as India, China, Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico and Argentina due to greater food requirements. Consumption of phosphorous fertilizers is decreasing in developed nations including the U.S., Europe, and Japan, due to increasing shift towards more eco-friendly agricultural production.

Consumption of phosphates, to a large extent, depends on seasonal weather patterns and regulations governing the usage. Growth in the global market is expected to stem largely from the developing countries of Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Middle East. With relatively high usage of phosphates in fertilizers and detergents in Asia-Pacific and Latin America, the regions are poised to remain the pioneers for the phosphates market in the foreseeable future.

China is the world's largest phosphate rock producer, with production volume nearing 55 million tons in 2009, followed by the US as the next largest producing country. Morocco and Western Sahara, Russia, Tunisia, Jordan and Brazil comprise some of the other leading phosphate rock producers on a global scale. Lack of stringent regulatory restrictions offers ample growth opportunities in these markets. Read more...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine from Perendale Publishers.