Phosphoric acid: Movement
The tanker route from Morocco and Jordan to India
What this tab covers How it moves between countries: share of output traded, physical form and transport, the largest exporters and importers, main routes, India's trade, and handling rules in transit.Trade in 2024 UN Comtrade, HS 280920
World exports $6.38 bn 81 reporting exporters · about 9.03 m t Largest exporter Morocco 44.9% of world exports Largest importer India 36.5% of world imports India imports $1.99 bnexports $5.47 m #1 importer · #27 exporter
Where it is exported from and imported to, 2024
Chart: World map of the largest trade flows
Exporter (size = share of world exports) Importer (share of world imports) Shipping chokepoint UN Comtrade 2024, HS 280920: shares of reported world exports and imports by value. Country-to-country route lines are not available for this commodity yet. Hover a circle for values.HS 280920: largest exporters
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morocco | 44.9% | $2.86 bn | 4.36 m |
| China | 10.2% | $648.0 m | 887k |
| Jordan | 9.5% | $607.5 m | 1.17 m |
| Senegal | 6.8% | $434.8 m | 499k |
| Israel | 5.8% | $368.2 m | 334k |
| United States | 4.5% | $285.0 m | 742k |
| Belgium | 4.2% | $266.0 m | 238k |
| Tunisia | 3.3% | $212.8 m | 193k |
HS 280920: largest importers
| Country | Share | Value (US$) | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 36.5% | $1.99 bn | – |
| Pakistan | 7.6% | $414.3 m | 791k |
| United States | 5.9% | $322.0 m | 335k |
| Netherlands | 5.2% | $283.5 m | 312k |
| Germany | 4.9% | $266.4 m | 228k |
| Türkiye | 4.4% | $237.7 m | – |
| Spain | 3.9% | $213.1 m | – |
| Belgium | 3.4% | $184.3 m | – |
How it moves
| Measure | Figure | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Share traded | about 10% of P2O5 output traded as merchant acid (indicative); the rest is converted on site | ||
| How it moves | Merchant acid (52-54% P2O5) ships in rubber-lined or stainless chemical tankers. Most acid is turned into DAP and MAP at the mine because solid fertiliser is cheaper to ship and store. | ||
| Routes and chokepoints | Jorf Lasfar and Safi (Morocco), Aqaba (Jordan) and Gabes (Tunisia) to Indian east and west coast ports; through Suez and Bab el-Mandeb for Atlantic origins, which made the 2024-26 Red Sea and Gulf disruptions costly. | ||
| India | India is the largest buyer of merchant phosphoric acid ($1.99 billion in 2024, 36.5% of world import value, UN Comtrade) and of phosphate rock (40.4% of rock import value, 2024, Comtrade via phosphate tile). Acid comes mainly from Morocco, Jordan, Senegal and Tunisia, often through joint ventures. | ||
| Handling in transit | UN1805 phosphoric acid solution, class 8, packing group III. Corrosive but not volatile; tanks need rubber or stainless lining. |