After China ended the export of ammonium phosphate, a key component in fertiliser manufacturing, India has turned to Morocco to secure fertilisers.
During the visit of Fertilizer Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to Morocco over the weekend, Morocco's phosphate giant OCP Group announced a deal with India to supply New Delhi with 1.7 million metric tonnes of phosphate-based fertiliser over the next year.
OCP Group will supply India with 700,000 tonnes of fertiliser under the terms of the agreement. The fertiliser would be custom-made to meet the needs of the plants and crops for which it is intended. According to an OCP statement, the Moroccan fertiliser producer plans to supply another million tonnes of fertiliser directly to Indian farmers.
India hopes to secure a long-term supply of rock phosphate through its agreement with Morocco, which is a necessary raw material for the production of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK).
According to an OCP statement, the shipments are expected to increase yields and income for Indian farmers. OCP and India have "entered into a strategic partnership to enhance food security, underlining their shared ambition to benefit innovative and sustainable agriculture," according to an OCP statement.
The Morocco-India agreement covers a number of joint research and development initiatives (R&D). According to sources, the joint R&D aims to develop innovative solutions to increase fertiliser efficiency.
OCP takes a unique approach that leverages innovation to reduce production costs while using raw materials in a sustainable manner. In Africa, the company uses cutting-edge mobile laboratories to sample soil and optimise fertiliser production.
Morocco has long been a key player in the Arab World and a voice of moderation, but it is also a major African power with significant ties to Europe and the United States. Two recent decisions, the United States' recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over the Moroccan Sahara and the reactivation of ties between Israel and Morocco, have enhanced Morocco's geopolitical role.
During the last few years, there have been no less than 23 Ministerial visits in both directions, and more than 43 agreements/Memorandums of Understanding have been signed, and India and Morocco are working together to expand cooperation in areas such as new technologies, space, defence, intelligence, counter-terrorism, and so on.
Morocco is now the continent's second-largest investor and the region's first African investor in West Africa. Morocco is open to developing joint initiatives and investments with India in Africa from this perspective, as the two countries have a positive image on the continent. Several years ago, India aided Morocco's re-entry into the African Union.