MCFL halts operations at Mangalore plant due to raw material shortage

Raw material shortage: Mangalore Chemicals & fertilisers Ltd (MCFL) had to cease operations at its phosphatic plant in Mangaluru on Sunday due to a shortage of raw materials.

In a regulatory disclosure made on Sunday, MCFL announced that its "phosphatic fertiliser plant was temporarily halted on October 22, 2023, due to a depletion of phosphoric acid raw material stock."

The company intends to provide an update once it resumes production at this facility. MCFL, a subsidiary of Zuari Agro Chemicals Limited, which is part of the Adventz Group under the leadership of Chairman Saroj Kumar Poddar, stands as one of the prominent fertiliser companies in the country.

Phosphatic fertiliser production typically involves the use of raw materials containing phosphorus, a vital nutrient for plant growth. The primary raw materials used in a phosphatic fertiliser plant include:

Phosphoric Acid: This is a key ingredient and the primary source of phosphorus. Phosphoric acid is derived from phosphate rock through a chemical process.

Phosphate Rock: Phosphate rock is the primary source of phosphorus in phosphatic fertilisers. It is processed to extract phosphoric acid, which is then used to make various phosphate fertilisers.

Sulfuric Acid: Sulfuric acid is used in some phosphate fertiliser production processes to create different phosphate compounds. It may be used in the production of superphosphate fertilisers.

Ammonia: Ammonia can be added to phosphate fertilisers to create ammonium phosphate compounds, which combine phosphorus and nitrogen.

(With PTI inputs)