Tunisian DAP exports flat in April, TSP up

Tunisian shipments of DAP were flat last month on March levels, and TSP exports picked up from zero in February and March, latest provisional data show.

DAP exports from Tunisian producer Groupe Chimique Tunisien (GCT) totalled 21,000t last month, in line with March exports and shipments in the month a year ago.

Cumulative DAP shipments were 147,000t in January-April, up by three quarters on a year earlier, with GCT driving sales into Europe, following solid exports in January and February.

And May shipments will be higher, with GCT lining up shipments of 10,000t of DAP under tender commitments to Turkey, and a 40,000t DAP cargo is set to load later this month for Pakistan.

TSP shipments returned in April, following a lack of shipments in February and March, hitting 26,000t last month. This likely reflects GCT's combination cargo of TSP and SSP for Brazil. At least one other cargo will likely be reflected in May data, similarly for Brazil.

Phosphoric acid shipments slipped to 36,000t in April, down from 65,000t in March, reflecting the uncertainty following the Covid-19 fallout and the reduced phosphates production in India.

Indian phosphates producers, which source phosphoric acid as a raw material for DAP output, slowed or took off line plants as the government's countrywide lockdown took hold at the end of March. This reduced demand resulted in a cancelled phosphoric acid cargo from Tunisian producer Tifert for its Indian partners. But overall phosphoric acid shipments were up to 227,000t in January-April, marking a rise of 40pc on a year earlier.

Raw materials demand slips in April, but 2020 still strong

Tunisian imports of sulphur and ammonia fell in April from March, but overall receipts are still up on last year's levels.

Sulphur deliveries slipped to 73,000t in April from 97,000t in the month prior. Total sulphur imports in January-April were 359,000t, up by a third on a year earlier, likely reflecting the strong rise of DAP and phosphoric acid exports.

Imports of ammonia, another key feedstock for DAP production, dropped to 11,000t in April, from 23,000t the month before. But overall receipts were up to 73,000t, marking a rise of 14pc on 2019.

By Harry Minihan

Tunisian phosphates exports since 2018