The ceremony, which took place last Friday, November 8, was organized by the PTP Group and the Nitron Group, the main shareholders of the ZFS.
This port terminal, the construction of which took four years and an investment of 40 million US dollars, represents a milestone in the region’s logistics infrastructure. With a length of 140 meters and a width of 30 meters, the port has the capacity to receive all types of cargo ships, including large vessels such as Panamax. Strategically located on the Paraguay-Parana waterway channel, the ZFS allows vessels to enter without the need for tugs, optimizing loading and unloading operations.
Through the agreement between PTP and Nitron, 15 of the 60 hectares of PTP’s free trade zone will be used to store approximately 150,000 tons of solid fertilizer and 60,000 tons of liquid fertilizer to serve Nitron’s customers in the region.
The liquid storage capacity of the ZFS is remarkable, with 20 tanks totaling 120,000 m3, each with a capacity of 6,200 m3. These tanks will store products such as bait, fuels and liquid fertilizers
The terminal’s operating system is very efficient: all goods are unloaded in the free zone warehouse and then removed according to commercial negotiations, with an estimated unloading capacity of 10,000 tons per day. The current fertilizer warehouse is 22,000 m2 and has a capacity of 120,000 tons, and there are plans to build two additional cells of 30,000 tons each.
Committed to the environment and long-term sustainable development, the recently completed Port of Santa Fe Free Zone is the first port with a self-generation system based on renewable energy, following the installation and commissioning of a photovoltaic park that makes the port self-sufficient.
From its inception to the present day, the project has been a fundamental pillar of economic and social development.
PhosAgro plans to invest $1 billion in 2024 to strengthen its production complexes
PhosAgro, one of the largest Russian phosphate-based fertilizer producers, has reaffirmed its key investment projects. During a recent board meeting, the company’s CEO, Mikhail Rybnikov, announced an unprecedented investment plan for the year, earmarking a record 75 billion rubles ($1.04 billion).
Rybnikov highlighted that the company is consistently executing its development strategy through 2025, with significant projects at various production sites. “Following the launch of a major facility this spring, our sites in Cherepovets and Volkhov will complete initiatives to increase the processing of apatite concentrate by nearly 400,000 tons by year’s end,” he stated.
The Cherepovets complex is also undergoing enhancements to expand its aluminum fluoride production capacity from 75,000 tons to 96,000 tons annually. This compound, a critical component in aluminum production electrolytes, is expected to see increased deliveries by 2026.
ARGENTINE MAIN CROPS OVERVIEW
SOYBEANS: After a significant interweekly advance of 16 p.p., soybean plantings cover 35.8% of the 18.6 MHa forecast. Compared to the previous cycle, an advance of 1 p.p. has been recorded. At the moment, good surface moisture conditions over most of the agricultural area have allowed almost half of the soybean projected for this season to be sown, starting the crop cycle at optimal sowing dates. Good results are being reported in the plant stand, despite specific cases related to seed quality, and some episodes of weed escape have been reported after the recent rains. In the same way, the first second soybean lots have been sown, mainly in the northern core and in the center-east.
CORN: As for grain maize, planting was concentrated in the southern part of the agricultural area, advancing only 0.8 p.p. compared to the previous week, as most producers will begin to plant late crops in a generalized manner in the coming weeks. So far, the reported sowing progress is 39.4% of the 6.3 MHa projected, which represents an advance of 13.2 p.p. over last year. Due to the good water availability in a large part of the planted area, 92.8% is in a condition between normal and excellent, while in the core area the first lots in reproductive state are reported.
SUNFLOWER: In the case of sunflower, after an interweekly progress of 9 p.p., the sowing has covered 98.8% of the projected 2 MHa and is entering its final stage, which is 4.4 p.p. ahead of last year’s. This is due to the inclusion of parcels in the north of La Pampa and the west and southeast of Buenos Aires. To date, 96.9% of the planted area is in normal/excellent crop condition and the recent rains have allowed 83.9% of the area to be maintained in adequate/optimal water condition. The 8% of the area that has already passed the flower bud stage, being the first to be sown, is most affected by the moisture restrictions with which it was planted. However, the later planted plots show good coverage with plants in full leaf expansion in very good condition.
SORGUHM: Sorghum sowing is progressing in most of the agricultural area, with 170,000 ha incorporated in the last fifteen days. In percentage terms, 30.3% of the projected 1 million hectares have been planted, an increase of 7.2 p.p. compared to last year. The high planting intentions are intended to compensate for part of the decline in maize. However, the lack of seed availability, marketing problems and unfavorable margins are limiting the growth of cereals. On the other hand, the most advanced lots are in leaf expansion in good sanitary conditions, while the first re-fertilizations are being carried out in fields of medium and high technological level.
WHEAT: Finally, the wheat harvest recorded an interweekly progress of 12.1 p.p. and reached 29.3% of the eligible area, representing a 3.3 p.p. advance over the previous year. The national average yield amounted to 19.3 qq/ha, with the progress of the harvesters on plots in the center of the agricultural area reaching results between 20 and 43 qq/ha. The high temperatures of the last weeks have accelerated the ripening process and it is expected that the harvest rate will increase as long as the environmental conditions allow it. On the other hand, after the passage of a cold front over the south of the agricultural area, some tips of burnt ears were observed and although the estimated yields move in a wide range, the average remains close to those expected, allowing to maintain the production forecast at 18.6 MTn.