MBCFF - Introduction to Phosphate Investing
Phosphate is critical for all living organisms. Its primary function is to support strong cell development and water retention, and 90 percent of it is applied to crops to aid plant growth.
Because of its essential properties, and since there is no known substitute for it, phosphate can be found in fertilizer products all over the world. It is also used as a supplement in animal feed, as a food preservative and for several other chemical purposes.
As the world’s population grows and demand for food increases, demand for phosphate is only expected to increase. For that reason, some believe phosphate investing is compelling. Read on for a brief overview of the phosphate market, including supply and demand dynamics and investing options.
Phosphate investing: Supply and demand
According to the US Geological Survey’s most recent report on the phosphate industry, global phosphate rock production came in at 270 million metric tons (MT) in 2018, up from 269 million MT in 2017. The increase was mainly the result of increased output in China and Saudi Arabia.
China was the top phosphate rock producer last year by a long shot, putting out 140 million MT. Morocco and Western Sahara were in second place with production of 27 million MT. Phosphate mining projects are present in a large number of other countries as well, including Russia, Tunisia, Jordan, Brazil, Israel, South Africa, Syria, Togo and Senegal.
When it comes to phosphate resources, the largest phosphate deposits are found in Morocco, which is home to about 75 percent of global reserves. The US also holds large phosphate deposits, particularly in Florida, North Carolina, Idaho and Utah. The US produced 27 million MT of phosphate rock in 2018.
In terms of demand, the need for phosphate has been slowly increasing over the last few years. It stood at 40.6 million MT in 2012, and is expected to reach 48.8 million MT by 2021. As mentioned, the world’s growing population and need for crop nutrients should keep demand growing steadily well into the future as well.
It is clear the phosphate industry will need to look into mining expansion opportunities and expand exploration activities to meet the growing demand and future growth forecasted for the sector.
Phosphate investing: Consider stocks
With the future of phosphate looking bright, some investors are wondering how to get into the space. There are certainly ways to do so, although phosphate investing is a little trickier than investing in more mainstream commodities like gold and silver.
One way investors can invest in phosphate is by buying shares of an exchange-traded fund that includes exposure to phosphate. The Global X Fertilizers/Potash ETF (ARCA:SOIL) is one example. However, most market participants choose to invest directly in phosphate-focused companies. Here are three of the largest producers:
Information on venture exchange and smaller phosphate companies that have been working to advance their projects can be found here.
This is an updated version of an article originally published by the Investing News Network in 2013.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.