Morocco plans to supply close to 3 million tonnes (MT) of phosphatic fertilisers—including diammonium phosphate (DAP), nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) blends, and triple superphosphate (TSP)—to India by the end of the year through its state-owned enterprise OCP Nutricrops.
The move is expected to ease supply constraints in India after China halted exports of key soil nutrients earlier this year.
At the start of 2025, India and OCP Nutricrops signed agreements with six partners—including National Fertilisers, Paradeep Phosphates, Indian Phosphate, and Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan—to supply 2.5 MT of phosphatic fertilisers.
“During January-October, 2025, we supplied 22% of India’s requirements of DAP, TSP and NPK,” an official spokesperson of OCP, said.
India’s Supply Diversification
China began curbing DAP supplies in 2023 and completely stopped exports in early 2025. India, which consumes 10-11 MT of DAP annually, meets roughly 60% of its demand through imports from Russia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, and China. Domestic manufacturing of DAP also depends on imported rock phosphate.
In November, External Affairs Ministry officials, led by Secretary (South) Neena Malhotra, met OCP Group Chairman and CEO Mostafa Terrab in Rabat to strengthen long-term fertilizer and phosphate supply arrangements.
India signed its first long-term contract with OCP in 2023, agreeing to import 1.7 MT of phosphatic fertilizers during then Fertilizer Minister Mansukh Mandaviya’s visit to Rabat.
Beyond Trade
OCP holds a 28% stake in Paradeep Phosphate and has a joint venture, Indo Maroc Phosphore SA, with Chambal Fertilizers and Tata Chemicals to secure raw materials for fertilizer production in India.
Morocco, which has the world’s 70% largest phosphate reserves has emerged as a major partner with India in sourcing fertilizer.
OCP supplies one-fifth of India’s rock phosphate, one-third of its phosphoric acids and significant share in phosphatic fertilizer imports.
OCP in collaboration with Indian Council for Agricultural Research has conducted field trials to evaluate TSP across agro-climatic zones in cropping systems including rice, maize, pigeon pea and groundnut over the last one year. The initial results revealed an increase in yield and the field trials will continue for two more cropping cycles, an official said.
(The author was in Morocco on the invitation of OCP Nutricrops)
