AMMAN — Nippon Jordan Fertiliser Company W.L.L announced Tuesday in a press statement that its exports went up by 50 per cent this year, reaching a record 291,300 tonnes.

According to the press statement, exports last year stood at 193,000 tonnes.

Karim Halaseh, the firm’s general manager, credited Australia for the improvement, indicating that exports to that market will reach 21,100 tonnes, as the company is currently shipping 17,600 tonnes in addition to 3,500 tonnes shipped earlier this year.

He attributed the sales to the company’s success in acquiring the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) level 1, which is a certification essential to maintaining Australia’s highly favourable animal, plant and human health status and access to export markets.

“The AQIS certificate attests that Nippon Jordan Fertiliser Company is eligible to export fertilisers to Australia which is one of the most important that consume highly-added value fertilisers,” Halaseh said, noting that the company possesses the scientific and technical expertise on an international standard in the compound fertiliser industry.

“As such, Nippon Jordan Fertiliser Company is qualified to obtain the highest international quality certificates for fertiliser production,” he added.

Referring to the latest shipment to Australia, Halaseh described that market as promising and, accordingly, the company views it as extremely interesting because it is one of the key agricultural lands, especially for grain production.

He said that a team from the Australian company that imports the fertilisers inspected the production process and conducted tests to verify the quality of the output and its adherence to the specifications agreed upon.

“The delegation visited the company’s factories in Aqaba and was satisfied with the physical and chemical specifications of compound fertilisers produced to meet the Australian farming needs,” the general manger added.

He remarked that the company conducted several experiments to produce new types of compound fertilisers with special specifications and elements that would satisfy the needs of Australia’s agricultural sector.

Amer Majali, the company’s chairman, said Nippon Jordan Fertiliser was able to achieve 291,000 tonnes of output from different types of fertilisers, following disappointments in previous years, pointing out that the volume is about 97 per cent of the 300,000 tonnes production capacity.

Majali added that the company’s profit for this year are close to $5 million due to higher production, lower costs and exports to new markets besides upgraded quality.

Of the company’s total exports this year, about 96,000 tonnes were for Thailand, Vietnam and Japan, 89,000 tonnes for Iraq and Turkey, 83,000 tonnes to Europe through Bulgaria, 1,550 tonnes to Sudan and 760 tonnes for the local markets.

Noting that these markets are now considered traditional, Halaseh highlighted the success of penetrating new markets in 2014 mentioning in particular the Australian and Sudanese markets as well as the Turkish which imports and re-exports to Iraq.

Jordan Phosphate Mines Company owns 70 per cent of Nippon Jordan Fertiliser, Arab Potash Company (20 per cent) and Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation (10 per cent), according to Nippon website.

http://jordantimes.com/nippon-jordan-fertiliser-company-takes-exports-as-far-as-australia