Category: Asia

EuroChem says that it expects the Phase III expansion project at its Karatau phosphate development in Kazakhstan to be onstream by 2026. In its Annual Report, EuroChem says that it signed an agreement with the China National Chemical Engineering Co. in May 2024 for the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of the chemical complex, and construction is now underway. The company says that it has also had state permits for the construction of additional sulphuric acid production, where the installation of large-capacity equipment is already underway and the first product is expected in 2026. The fertilizer plant is expected to have a capacity of around 1 million t/a, with a construction cost of $1.1 billion for the project. Phosphate reserves at Karatau are put at 41 million tonnes.

The Mosaic Company has announced the Chinese launch of Neptunion, its latest biostimulant product.

Japan’s Marubeni Corporation has secured a long-term offtake agreement from Envision Energy for green ammonia from Inner Mongolia.

Casale has signed a process design package (PDP) contract with Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co for two new fertilizer plants.

In this CRU Insight, Wahome Muya and Willis Thomas of CRU Consulting take a deep dive into the long-term prospects for potassium sulphate (SOP).

Fertilizer International interviews Joe Brady, Pursell's Chief Financial Officer, ahead of the Southwestern Fertilizer Conference in Nashville in mid-July.

In this CRU Insight, Anthony Rizzo explains why market participants should expect an uneven global demand picture in 2026 and highlights regional variations.

Pursell Agri-Tech is to build and operate a controlled-release fertilizers (CRF) plant in Malaysia.

Adani Group subsidiary Kutch Copper has commenced operations at its new Mundra copper refinery and smelter, the company announced on 28 March. The company previously indicated an expected start-up by the end of Q1. The new smelter will help boost domestic supplies of copper, demand for which is robust from the construction, transport and power sectors in particular and likely to double by 2030, with the shift towards clean energy and electric vehicles. This first phase of the project will have around 500,000 t/a copper capacity, with a similar capacity planned to be added in the second phase by 2029.

It is reported that Tongling Nonferrous is planning production cuts this year given current record low treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs). CRU estimates that the company’s potential cutbacks will total 67,000 tonnes of copper for the year. However, the start-up of the Jinguan II and Chifeng Jinjian II projects could offset the reduction in concentrate demand at operational smelters. Tongling Nonferrous owns five operational smelters/refineries with a total of 1.28 million t/a blister capacity and 1.73 million t/a refined capacity, respectively. It is understood that the Chifeng Jintong 220,000 t/a smelter has cut operating rates by 10% since early March due to concentrate tightness.