Fertilizer industry demand estimates

The Kola deposits, operated by P.O. Apatit, formed the core of FSU phosphate rock and fertilizer production capabilities. In 1989, P.O. Apatit produced about 20 million tonnes of phosphate rock [661. The P.O. Apatit production estimate for 1993 was about 8.5 million tonnes. Due to the drop in demand and to rationalization and privatization, mines and several processing plants have been closed. The downturn of the Kola industry (and Russian economy) is also intimately intertwined with FSU sedimentary phosphate rock production and the fertilizer industry based on this rock. The production of many fertilizer plants in the P U used high-quality phosphoric add feedstock produced from Kola apatite and locally obtained lower grade sedimentary phosphate rock to produce off-grade TSP products. 

Almost two-thirds of the world potash production output are exported. All the potash-producing countries except Brazil and China are exporters. Canada is by far the largest exporter (in total, 17 million tons of K2O were exported annually). The estimated world demand for potash fertilizers in the 1990-1991 business year was 26 million tons of K2O, with some 95% of the total potash production being used as fertilizers. The total output of products of the potash industry exceeds requirements by about 1.5 million tons of K2O. 

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