Brazil, Morocco’s OCP set 3.8m-ton phosphate fertilizer supply target

Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock signed a memorandum of understanding with Moroccan fertilizer giant OCP Nutricrops on Friday, September 18, aimed at expanding cooperation in fertilizer supplies.

The agreement sets a reference target of 3.8 million metric tons of phosphate fertilizers to be supplied by OCP to Brazilian operators beginning this year.

The memorandum was signed during Agriculture Minister André de Paula’s visit to OCP’s industrial complex in Jorf Lasfar, Morocco. De Paula had previously disclosed the negotiations in an interview with CNN Agro News in the week before the trip.

The proposed 3.8 million-ton volume is equivalent to 76% of the 5 million-ton fertilizer deficit projected by the Brazilian government for the 2026/27 crop season.

The memorandum is a preliminary agreement establishing expectations, rights and obligations ahead of any definitive contract. Actual purchases will depend on commercial negotiations between OCP and Brazilian operators, which will be responsible for negotiating the transactions.

Technical cooperation and investment opportunities

Beyond the supply target, the agreement provides for exchanges of technical knowledge and best practices.

It also covers potential partnerships in sustainable and low-carbon agriculture, soil mapping, biological inputs, biofertilizers and the development of solutions adapted to Brazilian farming conditions.

The two sides will also explore investment opportunities across fertilizer and plant-nutrition supply chains, including production, processing, storage, logistics and value-added activities.

The agreement also allows for exchanges of information on supply, demand and the sector outlook, as well as the development of digital agriculture initiatives.

OCP Nutricrops operates at Jorf Lasfar, one of Morocco’s main industrial and port complexes. The site covers 2,000 hectares and has annual production capacity of 15 million metric tons, with more than 100 fertilizer formulations.

In a statement released by Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry, De Paula said the country is an agricultural powerhouse but that food security also depends on secure access to agricultural inputs.

During the visit to Morocco, discussions also covered OCP’s presence and activities in Brazil and solutions tailored to the characteristics of Brazilian agriculture.

The agreement comes as Brazil fertilizer imports remain central to the country’s agricultural supply chain, with the proposed OCP volumes intended to help meet projected demand for the upcoming crop season.

Source: CNN Brasil

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