Page 146 - CW E-Magazine (22-4-2025)

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STRENGTHENING TIES

Coromandel International to source phosphatic

fertilisers from Saudi’s Ma’aden

Secunderabad-based crop pro-
tection fi rm, Coromandel Inter-
national, has expanded its partnership
with Saudi Arabian Mining Company
(Ma’aden), with the signing of a Memo-
randum of Understanding (MoU) for
the long-term supply of Di-Ammo-
nium Phosphate (DAP) and NP/NPK
fertilisers.

The MoU was signed by Mr.
Narayanan Vellayan, Director – Strategic
Sourcing, Coromandel International,
and Mr. Saud Al Tamimi, Director –
Fertiliser Sales Commercial, Phos-
phate Business Unit, Ma’aden, in
presence of Mr. S. Sankarasubramanian, strategic partnership with Ma’aden is a to Coromandel. “Ma’aden has been the
MD & CEO, Coromandel International, natural extension of our longstanding largest supplier of phosphate fertilisers
and Mr. Anas Al Bassam, Senior Vice relationship and will help Coromandel to India for over a decade.
President – Commercial, Phosphate ensure timely availability of DAP and
Business Unit, Ma’aden. complex fertilisers to the Indian farming We are expanding our production
community”. capacity from 6-million tonnes to 9- mil-
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. lion tonnes in the near term, reinforcing
Vellayan, said, “In recent times, DAP Ma’aden, one of the world’s largest our commitment to serve the growing
availability in India has been impacted producers of phosphate fertilisers, has needs of India’s agriculture sector,”
due to global supply disruptions. This been a long-term supplier of ammonia said Mr. Al Tamimi.

TRADE DISTORTIONS
Concerns raised over surge in edible oil imports

under SAFTA

The Indian Vegetable Oil Pro- tonnes between January and March – Rules of Origin and the risk of third-
ducers’ Association (IVPA), which up from 1.25-lakh tons for the whole country routing,” IVPA pointed out.
represents India’s edible oil refining of 2024. Incidentally, most of the
industry, has submitted a formal rep- 1.25-lakh tons also arrived into India The Association has noted that
resentation to the government, high- only during Oct-Dec 2024, post the this surge is distorting the domestic
lighting concerns around the surge hike in Indian duties, by way of edible oil market by creating an un-
in duty-free edible oil imports from re-routed imports of soya to India via even playing fi eld for Indian proces-
Nepal under the South Asian Free Nepal. sors and refi ners, impacting farmgate
Trade Area (SAFTA) framework. oilseed prices, and leading to un-
“This growth, which is not backed derutilisation of domestic capacity.
According to IVPA, imports from by Nepal’s own oilseed production Due to the prevailing fear of further
Nepal have risen sharply in early capacity, raises serious questions zero-duty inflows, market sentiment
2025, reaching over 1.80-lakh metric around the effective enforcement of around oilseed prices has also weakened,

146 Chemical Weekly April 22, 2025

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