Anglo American Plc, which owns the Woodsmith polyhalite project in northeast England, has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with two major Chinese fertilizer companies, Sinochem Fertilizer and BeiFeng AMP, to further develop the market for polyhalite in China, according to an Aug. 30 announcement from Anglo.
Sinochem, a member of Syngenta Group, is the largest distributor of agricultural inputs in China, with sales covering 95% of China’s arable land. BeiFeng is the third largest fertilizer distributor in the county, with operations focused in the three northeastern provinces known as the country’s “grain barn.”
“China is a key customer for us in our ambition to be a leader in sustainable crop nutrition,” said Tom McCulley, CEO of Anglo’s Crop Nutrients business. “Given our Crop Nutrients business forms part of Anglo American’s exceptional growth trajectory over the next decade, we are continuing to foster strategic partnerships across the agricultural industry to prepare the market for the full range of commercial and environmental benefits that polyhalite can offer farmers and the entire food value chain.”
Under the agreements, the parties will collaborate on the promotion and development of low-carbon fertilizer products and practices and the establishment of polyhalite product standards in China. This will include joint commercial-scale demonstrations and further research on crops such as corn, soybeans, potatoes, rice, apples, citrus, and grapes.
“As a leading fertilizer distributor in China, Sinochem Fertilizer has significant advantages in production, R&D and marketing. We are delighted to collaborate with a company like Anglo American, which shares our vision and strategic goals,” said Tielin Wang, Vice President of Syngenta China and General Manager of Sinochem Fertilizer.
“The signing of this MoU marks an initial achievement in our mutually beneficial partnership,” Wang continued. “We are eager to move beyond the agreement on paper to practical implementation, continuously advancing our collaborative projects. By leveraging our combined strengths, we’re working together towards our goal to create substantial value for Chinese farmers.”
Anglo said its global market development program for polyhalite now totals over 2,000 commercial-scale demonstrations in 40 countries across more than 80 different crops, involving approximately 350 distributors, retailers, cooperatives, blenders, and manufacturers, as well as farmers, universities, NGOs, global research institutions, media, and membership associations.