COMMENTS TO “ACCESS TO FERTILIZER" U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE
SUMMARY OF COMMENTS TO
“ACCESS TO FERTILIZER: COMPETITION AND SUPPLY CHAIN CONCERNS”
January 2023
Phosphate producers decreased in number from “11 phosphoric acid producers with 12 [million metric tons] of capacity” to “on four US phosphate producers with 7.5m mt of capacity” in 2021, with Mosaic controlling “60% of capacity.
availability of superphosphate fertilizers decreased from 98 percent of fertilizer purchases in 1960 to 9 percent in 2015. The commenter said that farmers “in Illinois do not want or need the N fertilizer present in MAP and DAP [mono and diammonium phosphate]” and have “asked for alternatives to non-ammoniated P fertilizers [e.g.: superphosphates].” The commenter pointed out that MAP and DAP easily lose the nitrogen component in water, which have contributed to “drinking water contamination.
the new largest international supplier of MAP and DAP to the U.S. [became] Saudi Arabia” (32 percent share). Notably, “Mosaic has a 25% interest” in a Saudi joint venture.