OREANDA-NEWS. May 29, 2008. Belarus has signed contracts with Morocco, Syria and Kazakhstan to purchase phosphate feed stock for the Gomel chemicals plant, deputy chairman of the Belneftekhim concern Mikhail Osipenko told reporters.

According to him, Belarus turned to these countries as the supplies from Russia were not sufficient. The plant was initially designed to use apatite concentrate supplied by the Russian Fosagro company. “They reduced the supplies and we turned to the feed stock from Morocco,” Mikhail Osipenko said.

According to him, the Gomel chemicals plant operates now at full capacity. The demand of the domestic market for phosphate fertilizer will be met in full volume.

“Our exports have been affected but we hope to reach the 2008 projections in terms of the phosphate fertilizer production by the end of the year,” Mikhail Osipenko said. According to him, a positive moment is that the country has found alternative suppliers for the company.