Koch Ag & Energy Solutions and OCP Nutricrops signed an agreement on July 17 for Koch to acquire a 50% stake in Jorf Fertilizers Company I (JFC I), establishing a second 50/50 operating joint venture at Morocco's Jorf Lasfar industrial complex.
JFC I owns a phosphate fertilizer production facility with nameplate capacity of up to 1.2 million metric tons per year. Combined with the existing Kofert venture - where Koch acquired a 50% interest in Jorf Fertilizers Company III in 2022 - the two partnerships will represent a combined annual production capacity of approximately 2.5 million metric tons of phosphate-based fertilizers once the JFC I transaction closes. Closing remains subject to regulatory approvals.
Scott McGinn, Koch Fertilizer president, said the investment builds on the Kofert experience and extends Koch's phosphate offering for customers. Faris Derrij, chairman and CEO of OCP Nutricrops, described the agreement as strengthening the ability of both companies to supply North America with reliable, high-quality soil nutrition solutions while supporting global food security.
The agreement comes weeks after the Trump administration suspended antidumping and countervailing duties on Moroccan phosphate fertilizer for eight months, citing domestic supply constraints linked to the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz. USDA projects the duty suspension could reduce U.S. phosphate fertilizer costs by up to 22%, generating around $1.82 billion in annual savings for farmers. The Jorf Fertilizer Complex, of which JFC I is one component, is the world's largest integrated phosphate fertilizer production platform.
