Morocco is preparing to launch the world’s first production of emission-free green fertilizers by 2027, relying on clean energy and desalinated seawater, as announced by Ahmed Mehrou, the General Manager of the OCP Group’s Strategic Manufacturing Business Unit.
In a statement to “Asharq,” Mehrou indicated that this project is part of a massive investment program that started in 2023 and extends over four years, aimed at achieving a sustainable industrial transformation in fertilizer production.
The group has allocated nearly 130 billion dirhams for this program to enhance the production of phosphate and ammonia and to expand desalination capacities, which are a key element in this industrial transformation.
Mehrou confirmed that the group will produce around 3 million tons of green fertilizers by 2027, relying entirely on desalinated water and carbon-free energy, making this achievement a unique step in the global fertilizer industry. He noted that this quantity will be added to the group’s current production capacity, which stands at about 15 million tons.
Last year, OCP recorded net profits of 20.4 billion dirhams, approximately 2.1 billion dollars, reflecting an annual increase of 42.6%, despite a decline compared to the exceptional profits of 2022 due to market conditions at that time.
Morocco possesses more than 70% of the world’s phosphate reserves, with OCP overseeing its extraction, processing, and export, whether as raw material or ready-made fertilizers. The group has also expanded its activities to encompass education, agriculture, hospitality, energy, water, and venture capital.
In the field of water desalination, the group currently has an annual production capacity of 200 million cubic meters to meet the needs of its factories and the surrounding cities, with plans to increase this capacity to 600 million cubic meters per year by 2030, responding to the growing demand for water in industrial units.
