News
12/01/26
Pakistan’s SOP capacity expansion to weigh on imports
Pakistan’s SOP capacity expansion to weigh on imports
Singapore, 12 January (Argus) — Pakistan's SOP imports are likely to decline
further in 2026 as domestic producers continue to expand capacity this year,
driving higher demand for MOP imports to the country. Domestic producer Barket
Fertilizers added 15,500 t/yr of capacity in 2025, taking its total capacity to
50,000 t/yr by November. Fellow producer Suncrop Group began commercial
production at its 40,000t/yr plant in Punjab in October 2025. These additions
have raised Pakistan's total SOP capacity to 110,000 t/yr as of early 2026.
Agven, Barket, and United Agro plan to add at least around 60,000 t/yr of
capacity by end of 2027. The increase in Pakistan's SOP capacity has dampened
imports in 2025, with total arrivals down by 24pc on the year to 54,100t, latest
Global Trade Tracker (GTT) data show. Taiwan remained Pakistan's largest SOP
supplier in 2025, but imports fell by 24pc on the year to 22,300t, while imports
from mainland China also fell by 17pc on the year to 9,200t. By contrast,
supplies from Egypt and Saudi Arabia made headway in Pakistan, with deliveries
from these countries growing to 5,200t and 4,800t, up from 1,400t and 3,500t in
2024, respectively. Rising SOP capacity has boosted Pakistan's demand for MOP,
with 2025 imports up by 18pc on the year to 89,800t. Pakistan's SOP production
adopts the Mannheim method, which uses MOP and sulphuric acid as feedstocks.
Canada overtook Jordan as Pakistan's top MOP supplier in 2025, with deliveries
rising to 33,800t from 1,300t in 2024. Imports from Vietnam — likely
representing Laotian supply — also rose sharply to 23,700t from 8,800t a year
earlier. Continued growth in Mannheim SOP capacity is expected to drive the
country's demand for MOP imports this year. Pakistan's domestic SOP demand is
estimated at 70,000-100,000 t/yr, according to local producers. SOP is used on
chlorine-sensitive crops like potatoes, cotton, and tobacco, which are widely
grown in Pakistan. Producers expect domestic consumption to gradually increase
in the coming years, reducing reliance on imports and potentially paving the way
for exports. Only one producer, Agven, has plans to export SOP from Pakistan,
but none have materialised so far as the company focuses on the domestic market.
Agven's plant is located at Gwadar port, which has poor container vessel traffic
— the main mode for SOP exports. Any containerized shipments would need to be
trucked to Karachi, adding significant freight costs and making exports
unattractive. By Huijun Yao Send comments and request more information at
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