The North African country is suffering its most destructive financial crisis. It is seeking to regain its position as a leading exporter to take advantage of a substantial increase in fertilizer prices due to the war in Ukraine.
The official counted that Tunisia had seen demand from France, Pakistan, Brazil, Indonesia, and Turkey.
With the culmination of sufficient stocks for local customers, the investors are heading to speed up the export pace. They plan to reach 300,000 tonnes this year and 600,000 tonnes next year, which means the same level as 2010.
Once the Biggest Phosphorite Producer
Tunisia was once one of the world’s most extensive producers of phosphate minerals, which are used to make fertilizers. Still, its market share fell behind the 2011 revolution.
Since then, localized protests and strikes have steadily cut into production and generated billions of dollars in losses.
Tunisia’s phosphate production duplicated to 1.3 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2022 compared to last year.
State company Gafsa Phosphate seeks to produce 5.5 million tonnes of phosphate this year compared to 3.7 million tonnes last year; officials told Reuters this year.
