International Fertilizer Association (IFA)

IFA CEO and Director General Alzbeta Klein, CFA Klein sat with Marcel Bruins, Editorial Director at Seed World Europe, for a discussion on the fertilizer and seed industries. They discussed what actions the fertilizer industry is taking towards sustainable food production, opportunities for collaboration with the seed sector, and areas of investment to look out for. Watch the full video live on Seed World Europe: bit.ly/4eRRMEV Alzbeta Klein, CFA | Patrick Heffer | Claire Newell (Chart.PR) | Annie COHEN

As summer begins in the northern hemisphere, the IFA Gender Task Force reflects on a busy first half of 2024: 🌱 Inspire Inclusion: In February, we launched the global #InspireInclusion campaign, promoting inclusivity for women in agriculture. Check out initiatives from around the world on our website: bit.ly/43nFCOD 🎤 IFA2024 Gender Session: Our annual conference in Singapore featured keynotes and panels on gender diversity, emphasizing diverse hiring and inclusive environments. 🎞 Reflections on a changing industry: We just wrapped our weekly testimonials campaign from industry leaders discussing gender inclusion progress. If you missed it on LinkedIn, you can find it on YouTube: bit.ly/3yVezPK Thank you to everyone who not only supported, but contributed to the brilliant initiatives above. Find more details on our IFA blog, available on the IFA website: bit.ly/3xQMAQS Alzbeta Klein, CFA | Patrick Heffer | Margot Clifford Laguette | Yvonne Harz-Pitre | Claire Newell (Chart.PR) | Annie COHEN | Mariana Borges

🌏 🌱 IFA Global Markets Conference Day 2 We are grateful to our speakers for all the high quality sessions they’ve brought to the #IFAGlobalMarkets2024 conference. Highlights from Day 2: Richard Ewing (Profercy) kicked off the day with a presentation on the merchant ammonia market, emphasizing changing trade routes and the use of ship-to-ship transfers to support downstream operations. Sophie Mason, (Argus Media) followed with an outlook for urea and highlighted gas supply issues in Egypt, Nigeria, and Iran, along with export restrictions from China and Indonesia, which have affected urea availability over the past two years.  Zooming in on the Chinese market, isaac Zhao 赵磊 (S&P Global Commodity Insights) analyzed the country’s export policies for urea and phosphates and looked into China’s sourcing of potassium chloride (MOP), as well as its low-carbon ammonia projects currently in development despite operational cost challenges. Koyel Choudhury (Ma'aden) noted China's impact on global phosphate supply in Q2 and projected capacity growth lagging behind demand through 2029. In the potash market, with Alexis Maxwell (Bloomberg Intelligence), we saw that Belarus and Russia account for about one third of the potash market, and with sanctions redirecting trade routes, potash supply has improved from 2023 levels. Juan von Gernet (ICL Group) commented on the specialty fertilizer industry and its need for clearer product categorization and data availability in this growing market. Humphrey Knight (CRU) covered China’s dominance of the LxFP sector and how this poses opportunities and challenges for prospective suppliers everywhere. Regionalizing LxFP supply chains has encountered early difficulties, and cost competitiveness for new suppliers will depend heavily on government support.    In the shipping sector, maritime transport is one of the most energy efficient modes of transport, but also a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Hugo Rousse offered a glimpse into his work at AXSMarine, estimating shipping CO2 emissions to foresee the impact of carbon border taxes on fertilizer trades. The final session of the conference included an introductory presentation by Jonathan Davis (Applied Data Science Partners) on the use of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning models, and the importance of making them interpretable, before a panel discussion ensued between Arthur Anunciação Neto, Guillaume Goudy and Max Roz. Moderated by IFA Market Intelligence Director Laura Cross, the panel discussed challenges in digitalizing information flow, opportunities to optimize configuration, and in-house machine learning models. The rapid development of AI has seen training data grow from 3.7B tokens in 2018 to 1.4T in 2024, and only seems to be growing. IFA is proud to bring these topics to the table.

And that’s a wrap for the #IFAGlobalMarkets2024 Conference here in London! 💙 As always, a warm thank you to the 171 delegates from 29 countries and 74 companies who joined us. Thank you also to our sponsors: Host: Arab Potash Company  Platinum: Nutrien  Networking reception: Argus Media  Gold: Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co. We wish everyone a safe journey home.    Laura Cross | Alzbeta Klein, CFA | Patrick Heffer | Stephane Leleu | Etienne ACHARD | Grace Chilande | Armelle Gruere | Sylvie Marcel | Annie COHEN | Claire Newell (Chart.PR) | Jessica de Lafargue | Kate Ashby | Mariana Borges

🌏 🌱 IFA Global Markets Conference Day 2 We are grateful to our speakers for all the high quality sessions they’ve brought to the #IFAGlobalMarkets2024 conference. Highlights from Day 2: Richard Ewing (Profercy) kicked off the day with a presentation on the merchant ammonia market, emphasizing changing trade routes and the use of ship-to-ship transfers to support downstream operations. Sophie Mason, (Argus Media) followed with an outlook for urea and highlighted gas supply issues in Egypt, Nigeria, and Iran, along with export restrictions from China and Indonesia, which have affected urea availability over the past two years.  Zooming in on the Chinese market, isaac Zhao 赵磊 (S&P Global Commodity Insights) analyzed the country’s export policies for urea and phosphates and looked into China’s sourcing of potassium chloride (MOP), as well as its low-carbon ammonia projects currently in development despite operational cost challenges. Koyel Choudhury (Ma'aden) noted China's impact on global phosphate supply in Q2 and projected capacity growth lagging behind demand through 2029. In the potash market, with Alexis Maxwell (Bloomberg Intelligence), we saw that Belarus and Russia account for about one third of the potash market, and with sanctions redirecting trade routes, potash supply has improved from 2023 levels. Juan von Gernet (ICL Group) commented on the specialty fertilizer industry and its need for clearer product categorization and data availability in this growing market. Humphrey Knight (CRU) covered China’s dominance of the LxFP sector and how this poses opportunities and challenges for prospective suppliers everywhere. Regionalizing LxFP supply chains has encountered early difficulties, and cost competitiveness for new suppliers will depend heavily on government support.    In the shipping sector, maritime transport is one of the most energy efficient modes of transport, but also a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Hugo Rousse offered a glimpse into his work at AXSMarine, estimating shipping CO2 emissions to foresee the impact of carbon border taxes on fertilizer trades. The final session of the conference included an introductory presentation by Jonathan Davis (Applied Data Science Partners) on the use of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning models, and the importance of making them interpretable, before a panel discussion ensued between Arthur Anunciação Neto, Guillaume Goudy and Max Roz. Moderated by IFA Market Intelligence Director Laura Cross, the panel discussed challenges in digitalizing information flow, opportunities to optimize configuration, and in-house machine learning models. The rapid development of AI has seen training data grow from 3.7B tokens in 2018 to 1.4T in 2024, and only seems to be growing. IFA is proud to bring these topics to the table.

Welcome to Day 2 of the IFA Global Markets Conference.  ⏰ Here’s what you can expect from today: 🎯 9:00AM – 10:00AM Session 5 ‘Markets’  The first session of the day will give an overview on ammonia, and provide an outlook for urea. Profercy | Argus Media 🗺 10:30AM – 12:30PM Session 6 ‘China spotlight and phosphate and potash markets’  Join us for an important spotlight on the Chinese market, which will include an outlook for phosphates and potash, in light of sanctions and shifting trade.  S&P Global | Ma'aden | Bloomberg Intelligence 🌐 2:00PM – 3:30PM Session 7 ‘Emerging trends in fertilizers and related markets’  Be part of an important discussion on the specialty fertilizer market, the market for specialty phosphates, and carbon emissions from shipping.  ICL Group | CRU | AXSMarine 🔑 4:00PM – 5:30PM Session 8 Panel Discussion  Discussing the role of AI and data automation in market analysis and decision making, this engaging panel discussion among experts will be closing day 2 of the conference.  Applied Data Science Partners | DNEXT Intelligence SA | Alphamar Agência Marítima | Waypoint Commodities Laura Cross | Alzbeta Klein, CFA | Patrick Heffer | Claire Newell (Chart.PR) | Annie COHEN | Grace Chilande | Etienne ACHARD | Armelle Gruere | Stephane Leleu | Mariana Borges

🌍🌱IFA Global Markets Conference Day 1   We're pleased to share some highlights from an engaging first day at our Global Markets Conference in rainy London. Our esteemed speakers provided valuable perspectives on global economic trends, agriculture, energy, and shipping.   Simon MacAdam from Capital Economics presented a comprehensive global economic outlook, noting that GDP growth is expected to remain below trend until 2025. While inflation is stabilizing, potential interest rate cuts may be on the horizon for 2025. Long-term trends include a shift in Asian growth from China to India, ongoing supply chain de-risking efforts, and anticipated productivity gains from AI.   In the agriculture sector, David Fiocco from McKinsey & Company highlighted that farmers are prioritizing soil health, climate resilience, and efficiency gains. They remain cautious about price volatility but continue to innovate. The emerging global crisis of land use was addressed by Richard King from Chatham House, who emphasized the urgent need for sustainable resource management and circular economy approaches.   The energy sector is facing significant geopolitical risks and shifts in demand, as outlined by Aura Sabadus from ICIS. Natural gas demand has seen a notable drop, and the industry is closely watching political developments in the EU and US for potential policy changes. Looking ahead, Lindsey Entwistle from Wood Mackenzie projected that renewable energy is expected to reach 75% of power supply by 2050, with the industrial sector identified as a key challenge in decarbonization efforts.   In shipping and logistics, Alexis Ellender from Kpler discussed recent disruptions in freight markets that have impacted shipping costs. Kostas Papadakis from DNV shared insights on the maritime industry's ambitious goal of achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. Multiple solutions are being explored, including carbon capture and nuclear vessels, highlighting the industry's commitment to sustainability.   Thanks to all our day one speakers for their thought-provoking presentations. We're looking forward to more insightful discussions to come.   #IFAGlobalMarkets2024 #Fertilizer #Agriculture #Sustainability Laura Cross | Alzbeta Klein, CFA | Patrick Heffer | Claire Newell (Chart.PR) | Grace Chilande | Etienne ACHARD | Armelle Gruere | Annie COHEN | Stephane Leleu | Jessica de Lafargue | Kate Ashby | Mariana Borges

Our latest #InspireInclusion case study takes us to Morocco, where OCP Foundation is working with multiple partners to advance women’s equality in Africa. 🌍 The ‘Women united together for research, technology, environment and science’ (FUERTES) project, in partnership with "Mujeres Por Africa," UM6P - Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, and USSEIN, aimed to boost agricultural research for Senegalese women farmers. It trained 22 doctoral students, created a knowledge-sharing platform, and supported projects on nutrition, biofertilizers, biodiversity, land restoration, and social issues, while enhancing the visibility of African scientists. 🤖 The "African Women in Tech and AI (AWITAI)" program with the AI Movement-UM6P Center is set to support 150 African women and 30 projects by 2025, fostering women's leadership in tech and AI. The first edition included 34 women from 11 countries receiving training in five key technology modules. In 2024, the numbers rose to 80 women from 28 countries. More on #Inspireinclusion here: bit.ly/43nFCOD And be sure to check out more about OCP Foundation here: ocpfoundation.org Alzbeta Klein, CFA | Patrick Heffer | Margot Clifford Laguette | Claire Newell (Chart.PR) | Annie COHEN | Mariana Borges

A warm welcome to everyone arriving at the #IFAGlobalMarkets2024 Conference in London! ⏰ Here’s what’s on the agenda for today: 🌍 9:00AM – 10:00AM Keynote Session ‘Making sense of the world around us’  Join a panel of industry leaders addressing global farmer insights, economic outlooks, and top risks of 2024.  Nutrien | McKinsey & Company | Capital Economics | Eurasia Group 🚢 11:00AM – 12:30PM Session 2 ‘The growing challenge of shipping fertilizers’  Hear how global freight disruptions impact fertilizers, and stay tuned for a maritime forecast to 2050.  DNV | Kpler 🌱 2:00PM – 3:30PM Session 3 ‘Agricultural market drivers’  This session will cover the emerging global crisis of land use and offer a global agricultural outlook before discussing the work going towards monitoring fertilizer use worldwide.  Chatham House | GlobalData Agribusiness | agri benchmark 💡 4:00PM – 5:30PM Session 4 ‘Energy market dynamics’  Join this session for an insightful look into geopolitics and global risks in energy, as well as an outlook on natural gas and the energy transition.   ICIS | Energy Aspects | Wood Mackenzie  Registration is open from 8am to 5pm. Have a great day 1! Alzbeta Klein, CFA | Patrick Heffer | Claire Newell (Chart.PR) | Annie COHEN | Laura Cross | Grace Chilande | Etienne ACHARD | Armelle Gruere | Mariana Borges

IFA on the Road - Laos The IFA delegation of CEO and DG Alzbeta Klein, CFA and DDG Patrick Heffer visited Laos in late June. A key objective was to gain a better understanding of the potential of potash mining in Laos, and to visit IFA members and stakeholders on the ground. Laos is home to large potassium ore deposits, particularly in the Khammuan province. Asia Potash International, a Chinese company and IFA member, has been granted exploration rights to a potassium ore site. The company is the first in Laos to achieve industrial production of potash fertilizer and is expected to become a significant potash fertilizer supplier in Southeast Asia. The mining industry, including potash, is becoming an important force for Laos to attract foreign investment and drive economic development. Potash mining can generate significant government revenues, create jobs, and stimulate the growth of supporting industries. As Laos seeks to grow its economy and reduce poverty, responsible development of its potash resources could be a key contributor to the country's economic progress. 📽️ https://bit.ly/3WcynGj #sustainabledevelopment Alzbeta Klein, CFA | Patrick Heffer | Annie COHEN | Claire Newell (Chart.PR) | Mariana Borges