Morocco’s phosphate giant, OCP Group, has upped its production to meet the spike in sulfur demands, a key component of the phosphate fertilizer industry.
The global sulfur market size was USD 6 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow from USD 6.2 billion in 2024 to USD 7.9 billion by 2032, according to Fortune Business Insights. To meet the rising demand, OCP has ramped up its sulfur combustion capabilities.
The group inaugurated a new incinerator in 2024 with an annual capacity of 550,000 tons, adding to an earlier unit launched in the second quarter of the same year, which processes 417,000 tons annually.
These facilities not only enable OCP to adjust to fluctuations in the phosphate fertilizer market but also underscore its strategic role in the global sulfur industry.
Morocco’s OCP is an underdog in stabilizing global food security due to its large phosphate reserves, which are an essential material for fertilizers. With more extreme weather and climate-related disasters happening worldwide, fertilizers can offer agricultural workers some security amid challenging times.
The Kingdom holds approximately 50 billion metric tons in reserve—about 70% of the world’s total phosphate, which cannot be synthesized.
OCP’s efforts to enhance its sulfur processing capacities would grant the group immense control over the global phosphate fertilizer sector.