Fair dreams and aspirations ... A Grain of Wheat Growing Seven Ears (with) a Hundred Grains in Every Ear
Fertilizer industry and returns are of great importance to the economies of fertilizer producing and exporting Arab countries; bearing in mind that 90% of the total Arab fertilizer production is export-oriented. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the Arab fertilizer production value has exceeded an amount of USD 35 billion in 2008. The fertilizer industry in the Arab region is based on possessing the required raw materials, which represent 70% of the international reserve of phosphate, extending from Iraq in the east to Morocco in the west. The region further possesses 30% of the natural gas international reserve together with sulphur and potash, which are the main raw materials needed for the production of phosphatic, nitrogenous and NPK fertilizers. Arab production of tri-super phosphate also is estimated by 38% of the international production followed by 27% of phosphate rocks. Taking in consideration the expectations accompanying the witnessing of fertilizer industry and trade sector of an actual recovery and an increase in demand during 2010 and the following years, a special strategy is required for fertilizer producing countries in a means to cover the rising need in fertilizer demand, of 2.5% - 3.5%, and a solution is deemed to the problems facing Arab region fertilizer industry and trade. Fertilizer industry is considered a key production factor, essential actor in the agricultural development process and a major player in increasing the agricultural productivity, especially in the VKHG RI WKH DJULFXOWXUDO LQWHQVLĂ€FDWLRQ VWDWXV IROlowed by most Arab countries. The aforementioned challenges impose great responsibilities on such an industry, hence requiring inter-cooperation between the different concerned bodies, so as to assimilate all the new techniques
Eng. Mohamed Abdallah Mohammed
AFA Chairman Deputy Minister Ministry of Industry & Minerals (Iraq)
that lead to cutting the production costs, utilizing the available resources, improving the quality and preserving the environment. In the light of the previously stated points, the opportunity is now therefore provided to expand the chemical fertilizer industry domain and provide all the Arab countries needs via an integrated formula, which undoubtedly necessitate entrenching cooperation and coordination between Arab countries LQ WKH ÀHOG RI FKHPLFDO IHUWLOL]HU SURGXFWLRQ DQG inter-trade increase, in a world controlled by big economic entities. Heading from such a principle and bearing in mind the provision of all integrated and specialized production factors, with reference WR IHUWLOL]HU ÀHOG DQG LWV ZLGHO\ VSUHDGLQJ VWDWXV in the Arab region, factors of which include inter DOLD VSHFLDOL]HG H[SHULHQFHV LQ IHUWLOL]HU ÀHOG DFFXPXODWHG ÀQDQFLDO LQYHVWPHQWV DQG UHTXLUHG UDZ materials provision. In order to make use of the former factors, it requires seriously thinking of establishing a project or more, for a big Arab company, concerned with producing different kinds of fertilizers (nitrogenous, phosphatic, potash), including developed and state-of-the-art technologies among integrated production units together with a sincere participation from Arab countries or their special sectors and the fertilizer consuming counties such as Syria, Yemen, Sudan and others. Such is to be carried out by countries in order to contribute in achieving the food security sublime goal in addition to other goals, namely transferring such an industry modern technologies and establishing strong integrated and ideal manufacturing entities capable RI IDFLQJ WKH WHFKQRORJLFDO FKDOOHQJHV DQG WKH Ànancial crisis which seem endless ‌.. This is thus viewed as a fair aspiration and a realizable dream.