
Tunisia Resumes Phosphate Exports, Aims to Double Volume Next Year – Reuters
By Tarek Amara
TUNIS – Tunisia has restarted its phosphate exports after a hiatus of 11 years and anticipates shipping over 300,000 tonnes this year. This increase follows a significant rise in global demand, with plans to export at least 600,000 tonnes next year, according to a senior official from the state phosphate company.
Amid its worst financial crisis, the North African nation aims to reclaim its status as a leading exporter, leveraging the surge in fertilizer prices that has occurred in the wake of the war in Ukraine.
The official noted increased demand from countries including France, Pakistan, Brazil, Indonesia, and Turkey. "With sufficient stocks available for local customers, we are accelerating our export efforts, targeting 300,000 tonnes this year and 600,000 tonnes next year, which would bring us back to levels last seen in 2010," he stated.
Historically, Tunisia was one of the world’s top producers of phosphate minerals, essential for fertilizer production. However, its market share diminished following the 2011 revolution, as protests and strikes consistently disrupted production and resulted in substantial financial losses.
In the first quarter of 2022, Tunisia’s phosphate production doubled to 1.3 million tonnes compared to the same period in the previous year. The state company Gasfa Phosphate aims to increase production to 5.5 million tonnes this year, up from 3.7 million tonnes last year, as reported by company officials.