Farmers in North America could gain access to a more reliable supply of phosphate fertilisers under a new deal between US industrial group Koch and Moroccan phosphate producer OCP. Koch Ag & Energy Solutions has signed an agreement to buy a 50% stake in Jorf Fertilizers Company I (JFC1), a fertiliser plant at Jorf Lasfar on Morocco’s Atlantic coast. The deal will create a joint venture with OCP Nutricrops, which currently owns the entire company.
The agreement, announced on 17 July 2026, is subject to regulatory approval and other closing conditions. The companies have not disclosed the value of the transaction.
JFC1 can produce up to 1.2 million tonnes of phosphate fertilisers a year. Once the deal is completed, Koch and OCP Nutricrops will each own half of the company and share control of its operations.
The move will expand a partnership that began in 2022, when Koch acquired a 50% stake in Jorf Fertilizers Company III, later renamed Kofert. Together, the two joint ventures will have the capacity to produce about 2.5 million tonnes of phosphate fertilisers annually.
The expansion comes as agricultural producers seek more dependable supplies of fertilisers, which help maintain soil health and improve crop yields.
The companies say the new venture will serve customers worldwide, including in North America. Its prospects have also been boosted by a recent decision by the US administration to temporarily suspend countervailing duties on phosphate fertiliser imports from Morocco.
Scott McGinn, president of Koch Fertilizer, said: “This investment builds on the successful collaboration we have had through the Kofert venture. We are excited to expand Koch Fertilizer’s phosphate offering for our customers and to continue to grow Koch’s long-standing relationship with OCP.”
Faris Derrij, chairman and chief executive of OCP Nutricrops, said: “We welcome the signing of this agreement, which marks an important milestone in our long-standing partnership with Koch, a key North American player.”
He added: “The joint venture strengthens our ability to deliver reliable, high-quality soil nutrition solutions to farmers and customers, including across North America, while contributing to more resilient agricultural value chains and long-term food security.”
JFC1 is part of the Jorf Lasfar industrial complex, one of the world’s largest phosphate fertiliser production hubs. Its facilities include units that produce sulphuric acid and phosphoric acid, as well as a plant that manufactures finished phosphate fertilisers.
The site is part of OCP Group’s wider operations, which cover phosphate mining, processing phosphate rock into phosphoric acid and manufacturing fertilisers for international markets. OCP also sells phosphoric acid to other companies.
OCP Nutricrops is a wholly owned subsidiary of OCP SA, the state-owned group and one of the world’s largest exporters of phosphate rock, phosphoric acid and phosphate-based fertilisers. It focuses on plant nutrition products tailored to different soil and farming needs.
Koch, based in Wichita, Kansas, is a privately held US industrial group with businesses spanning refining, chemicals, fertilisers, minerals and commodity trading. Its wider portfolio also includes industrial equipment, process control technology, polymers, fibres, materials, software and services.
Koch Ag & Energy Solutions, the group’s agriculture and energy arm, supplies nitrogen, phosphate and specialist plant nutrients through international distribution networks.
The expanded partnership will combine OCP’s phosphate resources and manufacturing facilities with Koch’s distribution channels, strengthening links between Moroccan production and international agricultural markets.
Phosphate fertilisers include monoammonium phosphate (MAP), diammonium phosphate (DAP) and triple superphosphate (TSP). These products supply nutrients that crops need to grow and are widely used by farmers around the world.
The transaction will change JFC1 from a company wholly owned by OCP Nutricrops into a business jointly controlled by OCP Nutricrops and Koch, each holding 50% of its shares and voting rights. It will be completed once the necessary regulatory approvals and other conditions have been met.
