American farmers are getting Moroccan phosphate fertiliser again after more than five years of trade restrictions. A ship carrying about 54,000 tonnes of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) has arrived at the Port of New Orleans. The fertiliser will be distributed to farmers ahead of the autumn application season. The shipment follows a 29 June decision by the US administration to temporarily remove countervailing duties on Moroccan phosphate imports. OCP North America worked with the US Department of Commerce and other US authorities before sending the cargo to make sure it met US rules.
“This shipment reflects our commitment to supply the U.S. market,” said Kevin Kimm, CEO of OCP North America. “The temporary relief has enabled Moroccan phosphate fertiliser to return to the U.S. market. We are now focused on helping supplement available supply and ensuring American farmers have access to the fertiliser they need, when they need it.”
The US introduced a 19.97% countervailing duty on Moroccan phosphate imports in April 2021. The dispute began in 2020. Later reviews brought the calculated duty down to about 2.12%, before the temporary relief was announced in June.
Morocco supplied more than 2m tonnes of phosphate fertiliser to the US in 2019, worth about $729m. That was before the duties were introduced.
US farmers have also faced a fall in domestic phosphate production. US Geological Survey data shows that phosphate-rock output stood at 43.5m tonnes in 1995. Production has since fallen by more than half.
The Port of New Orleans is an important entry point for fertiliser. More than 60% of seaborne fertiliser imports into the US pass through the port, according to OCP North America. The port also connects to about 14,000 miles of inland waterways, allowing fertiliser to move by barge towards farming areas in the Midwest and Great Plains.
TSP gives farmers phosphorus without adding nitrogen. Its standard grade is 0-46-0, meaning it contains 46% phosphate, measured as P₂O₅.
Farmers can apply it separately from other nutrients and adjust the amount based on their soil and crops.
OCP North America is the regional commercial and research arm of OCP Group, a major global phosphate producer. The company was established in 2019 and is headquartered in Minnesota.
It connects farmers in the US, Canada and Mexico to OCP Group’s phosphate supply and research network.
The company is led by Kevin Kimm, with Kyle Freeman as vice-president of sales, Doug Montgomery as vice-president of supply chain and Mark Edinger as vice-president of speciality products and solutions.
Its products include DuraPHOS, a TSP product designed to provide phosphorus without nitrogen, and ActiPHY, which uses phytase enzymes to help plants access phosphorus already present in soil.
Another product line, TerraTek, combines phosphate with sulfur, nitrogen and micronutrients.
The company also works with universities, research groups and agricultural technology companies on crop nutrition. It partners with industry groups on the use of the 4R Nutrient Stewardship approach, which focuses on applying the right nutrient, at the right rate, at the right time and in the right place.
OCP North America also manages parts of the supply chain between OCP Group’s facilities in Morocco and US ports. Products can then move through domestic retailers and inland waterways to farming regions.
The company works with US authorities on trade rules and import procedures as it expands its business in North America.
OCP Group controls about 70% of the world’s known phosphate reserves, according to the company. It aims to run on 100% clean energy by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2040.
