PVFC has signed an agreement with the local Office Cherifien des Phosphates (OCP), the world’s largest phosphate exporter, to develop the plant, which is likely to be built on the Moroccan coast.

While Morocco has some of the world’s largest phosphate reserves, it has little of its own natural gas to create the ammonia required to react with phosphoric acid to make DAP. As a result it tends to export most of its phosphates rather than produce fertiliser itself.

The two firms say they are looking to invest in an ammonia plant in Vietnam or another country to ensure gas feedstock supply for the fertiliser facility.

The DAP plant will have capacity of 660,000-1 million tonnes a year. It is scheduled to come on stream in 2011.

Most of the DAP produced will be exported to Vietnam, which is heavily reliant on imported fertiliser for its agricultural needs.

Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) and Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) are building the world’s largest integrated phosphate-based fertiliser complex at Ras al-Zour in Saudi Arabia (MEED 29:2:08).