IFFCO, Indian Potash buy 37% stake in Jordan’s largest mining firm for ₹900 crore

The deal will ensure phosphatic reserve security to Indian farmers and help achieve balanced use of fertilisers in the country, said IFFCO MD US Awasthi. India is dependent on imports for phosphatic fertilisers.

Fertiliser major IFFCO and Indian Potash Ltd (IPL) have acquired 37% stake in Jordan’s largest mining and chemical firm JPMC for about ₹900 crore.

India is dependent on imports for phosphatic fertilisers. (Reuters File Photo)

The shares have been purchased from Kamil Holdings, owned by Brunei Investment Agency, which is the largest shareholder in Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC).

“IPL and IFFCO have jointly bought 37% stake in JPMC for about $130 million (nearly ₹900 crore),” IFFCO Managing Director U S Awasthi told PTI.

The deal will ensure phosphatic reserve security to Indian farmers and help achieve balanced use of fertilisers in the country, he added. India is dependent on imports for phosphatic fertilisers.

Awasthi said IPL -- the country’s largest importer of potash fertilisers -- has bought about 27% stake, while IFFCO, through its subsidiary Kisan International Trading (KIT), has purchased around 10% in JPMC.

He added that the Jordanian government has permitted Brunei to offload its stake to Indian companies.

IFFCO already has a joint venture, Jordan India Fertilizer Company (JIFCO), in which it has 52% stake, while JPMC holds 48% equity in it.

IFFCO manufactures and markets various kinds of fertilisers. It had sold 10 million tonnes and produced 7.87 million tonnes of soil nutrients last fiscal. Its turnover stood at ₹22,597 crore in the 2016-17 fiscal. The cooperative is yet to announce the results for last fiscal.