According to UK-based market research firm Merchant Research & Consulting Ltd., until 2010 the emerging economies will exert a major impact on the phosphate market.

The consumption of phosphorous fertilizers in China, India, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia and Argentina has been growing at a quick pace, driven by fast-growing population and necessity to provide more food. This trend will prevail until 2010, as the demand for phosphates will rise by over 3% a year.

However, European and CIS countries, Japan, the USA feature decrease in phosphorous fertilizer application for various reasons. In the developed countries, this is determined by the desire to make agricultural production more ecologically friendly, while in some CIS countries the main reason is economic downturn.

The world phosphate market exceeds 4m mt/y.

The industry of fodder phosphates is relatively concentrated. In America, two producers (after merger of Cargill and IMC Global) control 86% of US capacity; two producers in Western Europe hold 68% of regional capacity; one company in Japan accounts for over 70% of domestic capacity.

The USA and China are major processors of phosphate feedstock and the largest producers of fodder phosphates. China exhibits the highest production rates. Chinese exports are characterized by low prices, which drastically affects world prices.

Phosphorites are cryptocrystalline apatites; phosphorites are largely used for fertilizers, but also as a source of phosphorus in the chemical industry.

There are multiple applications of phosphates. They are used in fodder additives, fertilizers, movie film, X-ray equipment, explosives, detergents.

However, over 85% of produced phosphates are used to manufacture phosphoric fertilizers. As a result, the demand for phosphoric fertilizers governs dynamics of the phosphate market.

The Phosphates Market Research also features the following information:

Fodder phosphate market review;
Fodder phosphate consumption volumes;
Phosphate market prices;
Major roducers and consumers of fodder phosphates;
To name only a few subjects.

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by Marina Kulikova (few years ago!)