MANAMA: As changing market dynamics in the fertilizer industry create new business opportunities, the three-day event offers exclusive insights into the impact of current market changes on fertilizer trade, as well as key drivers behind future growth.
Under the theme ‘New beginnings: Return to growth, the 8th edition of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) Fertilizer Convention is set taking place between till 28 September in The Ritz Carlton, Bahrain.
Every year, the GPCA Fertilizer Convention gives industry experts, thought leaders and officials the opportunity to come together, expand their knowledge and capitalize on exclusive insights into the latest trends driving growth in the fertilizer market. This year, the event will kick off with a welcome address from His Excellency Shaikh Mohamed bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, Minister of Oil for the Kingdom of Bahrain. It will also feature senior executives from the industry including Dr. Abdulrahman Jawahery , President, Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) and Chairman, Fertilizer Committee, GPCA; Khalid Al-Mudaifer, President and CEO, Ma’aden; Charlotte Hebebrand, Director General, International Fertilizer Association (IFA) and Peter Huang, CEO, China National Chemical Information Center (CNCIC) Consulting, to name a few. In line with the GPCA’s drive to equip a new generation of aspiring students and future industry leaders with the requisite knowledge and skills to succeed, as well as enabling access to industry platforms, a student seminar will also take place during the convention, as part of the GPCA’s Leaders of Tomorrow initiative.
During the ten-year period between 2006 and 2016, GCC fertilizer production capacity almost doubled in size, growing from 19.4 million tons to 37.8 million tons. 2017 is set to be another encouraging year, as GCC fertilizer production capacity is estimated to reach 42.3 million tons, with Saudi Arabia continuing to take the lead in GCC fertilizer production, raising its total capacity by almost a third to 21.5 million tons in 2017 from 16.8 in 2016. Against the backdrop of increasing food demand in the region, coupled with a need for more fertilizer imports, the convention will explore themes for market stabilization, global and regional megatrends, specialty fertilizers, resolving environmental and technical challenges and competition in major supply markets.
“As the first industry to be set up in the GCC, the fertilizer sector has grown exponentially over the years, delivering exceptional value to the Arabian Gulf region and markets across the globe. The 8th GPCA Fertilizer Convention has established itself as the Middle East’s leading platform to network, share best practices and exchange ideas for the future in a highly dynamic business landscape. As a unique and must-attend forum for market-leading insights, the convention will open doors to future opportunities, help regional exporters establish a firm foothold in new markets and adapt to a new era of competitiveness,” Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General, GPCA, said.
“We at GPCA are proud to host this important conference, focused on the latest developments of this strategic industry, for the very first time in Bahrain. The GPCA Fertilizer Convention brings together the industry’s elite and gives us the opportunity to learn more about the challenges and solutions facing the fertilizer industry regionally and globally. Like previous editions, we are dedicated to this year’s success,” Dr. Abdulrahman Jawahery, President, Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) and Chairman, Fertilizer Committee, GPCA, said.