East Africa potential soda ash exporter - analyst

13 June 2007 22:25  [Source: ICIS news]

NICE (ICIS news)--East African manufacturers have announced plans to increase soda ash capacity, which would provide great long-term potential availability for Europe and the Middle East, an analyst said on Wednesday.

Natural soda ash is produced from trona-rich mines. Lakes in Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia contain trona and will soon be producing soda ash, the analyst said.

In Kenya, Magadi Soda is planning to add 1m tonnes of production by 2010.

In Tanzania, Tata Chemicals will add 500,000 tonnes of production by 2010, which will double to 1m tonnes between 2012 and 2015.

In Ethiopia, National Mining Corporation will add 250,000 tonnes by 2010, which will double to 500,000 tonnes by 2012 and double again to 1 m tonnes in 2015.

“If all of this capacity comes online as planned, the supply will be in excess of domestic demand,” the analyst said.

Competitive freight rates will allow this to be easily exported to Europe and the Middle East, the analyst added.

By: Heather McGuire Doyle
+1 713 525 2653

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