A recent report revealed a significant increase in India’s demand for Moroccan phosphate fertilizers this year, with Morocco’s exports to India expected to rise by up to 40 percent, surpassing 2.5 million tonnes compared to around 1.8 million tonnes in 2024.
The report, published by Hindu Business Line and citing officials from the Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP), indicated that this level of exports may continue into 2026, amid growing demand for fertilizers to ensure sustainable food production.
Youssef El Bari, CEO of OCP Nutricrops, stated that OCP has been a long-standing partner of Indian farmers for more than four decades and will supply over 2.5 million tonnes of phosphate fertilizers in 2025 to support agricultural productivity and strengthen India’s food and fertilizer security.
The report highlighted that OCP is increasingly focusing on developing customized fertilizers based on crop and soil needs, rather than solely exporting raw phosphate. It also promotes its triple super phosphate (TSP) as an improved alternative while continuing the production of DAP.
Field trials involving more than 22,000 farmers in the Indian states of Karnataka and Rajasthan showed that scientifically guided soil nutrition enhanced crop resilience, improved performance, and increased farm incomes. The report also noted that OCP holds a 28 percent stake in Paradeep Phosphates (PPL) and has joint ventures for producing phosphoric acid with Chambal Fertilisers, in addition to ongoing supply agreements with leading Indian fertilizer companies to ensure stable supplies and strengthen economic cooperation in the fertilizer sector.
It is noteworthy that India recently announced, through Nina Malhotra, Secretary for South Asia at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, during her official visit to Morocco from 18 to 21 November, its intention to enhance long-term strategic supply arrangements for phosphate and fertilizers with Morocco, as these are key components for India’s food security.
According to a statement from the Indian Embassy in Rabat obtained by Assahifa, Malhotra’s visit aimed to reaffirm the depth of bilateral relations between the two countries, which have grown significantly since King Mohammed VI’s visit to India in 2015, particularly in the economic and industrial fields, with Morocco serving as India’s primary partner for phosphate supply, the main raw material for agricultural fertilizers.
The statement added that Malhotra met with OCP’s Chairman and CEO, Mostafa Terrab, to discuss strengthening long-term strategic supply arrangements, potential joint projects in the fertilizer supply chain, cooperation in sustainable agriculture, and soil safety, with both sides renewing their commitment to work together to enhance food security cooperation.
Morocco-India relations have witnessed notable development in recent years, reflected in multiple agreements across various fields, including defense, where Morocco relies on Indian expertise to establish a local defense industry, while India views Morocco as an important partner in achieving food security.
