US fertilizer efforts threaten key market for Gulf producers | The National

US fertilizer efforts threaten key market for Gulf producers | The National:

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Executives in the fertilizer sector are voicing optimism about the industry’s outlook,
forecasting a 60 per cent rise in food production by 2050. Joe Brock / Reuters
 

The United States could become self-sufficient in fertilizer production as it ramps up shale gas production, and thus eliminate a core market for Arabian Gulf producers, the head of a global industry group warns.

North America buys 1.7 million tonnes a year of fertilizer from GCC producers, second only to East Asia. But thanks to a flood of cheap feedstock, it has announced more than 25 fertilizer projects in recent years and it has the potential to restart older plants.

Predictions of slowing fertilizer demand from India and China, and a shortage of hydrocarbon feedstock for new projects are also weighing on Gulf producers such as Abu Dhabi’s Fertil and Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Basic Industries (Sabic)."

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