Tunisia to halt some ferts output, sulphur delivery

30 October 2008 16:30  [Source: ICIS news]

By Rebecca Clarke

LONDON (ICIS news)--Tunisian phosphates producer Groupe Chimique Tunisien (GCT) will stop production at two sites and has asked sulphur suppliers to delay, or in some cases cancel, shipments due to high stock levels, market sources said on Thursday.

GCT is stopping production of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and phosphoric acid production at its Gabes and La Skhira complexes until the end of the year in response to weak market conditions, according to a GCT announcement.

This will leave just its triple superphosphate (TSP) and phosphoric acid plants in Sfax running.

Black Sea sulphur suppliers reported that GCT asked them to delay or cancel cargoes scheduled to be delivered before the end of the year so that the producer can avoid having to store all the volumes.

Suppliers also noted that there is a long queue of vessels already waiting to discharge in Tunisia.

GCT has two 650,000 tonne/year DAP plants at Gabes and can produce around 1m tonnes P205 of phosphoric acid there.

Phosphoric acid production capacity at La Skhira is 375,000 tonnes P205/year.

GCT imported 1.7m tonnes of sulphur in 2007.

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By: Rebecca Clarke
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