JPMC boosts DAP production

Fertilizer producer Jordan Phosphate Mines (JPMC) increased its DAP output last year, despite a fall in phosphate rock production, as increased demand from India drove sales.

JPMC raised DAP production by 67pc on the year, to 632,000t from 379,000t, its preliminary results show. Turnarounds and maintenance had hampered output in 2017.

Strong demand from India, JPMC's largest DAP export market, boosted shipments. Indian importers received around 312,000t of Jordanian DAP last year, compared with 108,000t in 2017, Argus' latest India line-up shows. JPMC's other key export markets are Turkey and Iraq.

The company has DAP capacity of around 65,000 t/month. It typically requires around 300,000t of sulphur each quarter for DAP production, and will tender in the next month for its second quarter requirements.

In terms of raw material output, JPMC's phosphate rock production dropped by 7.6pc on the year to 8.02mn t.

The firm's fertilizer sales grew to 581,000t last year, from 399,000t in 2017.

JPMC made a profit of 47.5mn Jordan dinars ($67mn) last year, compared with a loss of around JD46.7mn in 2017.