Arab Potash Company launches marketing campaign in India

As part of its participation, APC launched a marketing campaign that focused on key representatives of the Indian fertilizer market.

India is the world's largest importer of fertilizers and the largest market for Jordanian potash.

During the past five years, APC exports to India reached 3.1 million tons, valued at JD971m ($1.37bn), and over the past 20 years, the Indian market has represented 30% of total APC exports.

The marketing efforts were taken mainly in response to changes in the Indian market that affected the Indian Government's fertilizer subsidies, as well as Indian farmers' ability to purchase them.

This in turn, resulted in a decrease in APC's exports to India from 809,000 tons, valued at US $360m in 2008, to 268,000 tons in 2012, valued at US $136m.

APC believes that this initiative will help recover its share in this market where, according to experts, demand will rise to more than 7-8 million tons a year in the long run.

APC aims to play a proactive role in enhancing the utilization of potash through a promotional programme targeting farmers, in addition to the establishment of a permanent liaison office in New Delhi, and several partnerships with scientific research centers including the International Plant Nutrition Institute and Indian Potash Ltd.

During its participation, APC also held meetings with a number of key organizations in the Indian fertilizer sector such as the Fertilizer Association of India, Indian Farmers Cooperative, Indian Potash Ltd, Zuari Industries Ltd and Gujarat fertilizers and Chemicals.

APC also organized in cooperation with the Jordan Phosphate Mining Co. (JPMC), a Jordanian promotional evening attended by 250 key representatives of the Indian fertilizer sector, including the Secretary General of the International Fertilizer Association and the Secretary General of the Fertilizer Association of India.

The promotional evening is held annually to thank the Indian fertilizer industry and APC and JPMC customers. It is also an opportunity to promote APC subsidiaries' products such as potassium nitrate fertilizers produced by the Arab Fertilizers and Chemicals Industries LTD (Kemapco), as well as Dead Sea products.