Phosphate

Essential to life

Phosphate is essential to all forms of life and needs replenishing in cultivated land where soils become depleted. 90% of phosphate consumption is in agriculture with 40% of world food production linked directly to fertilizer use.

There is no substitute for phosphate in agriculture. It is essential to improving crop yields to meet food demands for the world’s growing population.

A critical commodity

The US and EU have declared rock phosphate a critical commodity due to its strategic importance in global food production.

Maximising yields in the agricultural industry has never been more important with arable land per person globally continuing to dramatically decrease from 4,500m² in 1960 down to just 1,800m² in 2050.

The Phosphate Market

Just 5 countries together control 90% of the world’s reserves of rock phosphate.

China controls 30% of the global phosphate trade and has imposed export bans. Import tariffs have also been imposed by the US on Moroccan and Russian phosphate.

Supply bans and disruptions are becoming increasingly frequent due to the strategic importance of phosphate in assuring food security.