Government to limit new nickel projects

Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) has inaugurated its new, third sulphuric acid plant at its facility in Paradeep, Odisha. This expansion significantly boosts the site's total production capability from 750,000 t/a to 2.2 million t/a. The plant, dedicated by Union Minister Amit Shah, highlights a major increase in domestic capacity for India's fertilizer industry.

Coromandel International says that it has started trial production at its new sulphuric acid and phosphoric acid plants in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh. The company says that this marks a crucial step towards transforming the unit into a fully integrated facility, significantly enhancing production capacity and diminishing reliance on imported raw materials for fertiliser manufacturing. The company is now focusing on a phased ramp-up. The new plants have of 2,000 t/d of sulphuric acid and 650 t/d of phosphoric acid, respectively. The integration of these acid plants is strategic, aligning with Coromandel's objective to strengthen backward integration in its fertiliser manufacturing value chain. By producing key intermediates in-house, the company aims to secure stable supplies, enhance cost efficiencies, and achieve greater self-sufficiency, thereby reducing dependence on imported raw materials. The project aims to replace over 50% of the Kakinada plant's imported acid requirements and mirror the integration levels seen at its Vizag and Ennore facilities.