The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) is promoting several production facilities abroad which may result in assured supply of fertilizers and raw materials to the country, the Department of Fertilisers (DoF) has said.

According to the DoF, IFFCO is pursuing the strategy of promoting production facilities abroad.

\"In this connection, IFFCO has signed an agreement with Jordan Phosphates Mines Company Ltd (JPMC) for setting up of a Joint Venture Project namely Jordan-IFFCO Company (JIFCO), for production of phosphoric acid and sulphuric acid. The project is likely to be completed by the year 2013,\" the DoF said.

\"IFFCO has also taken stake in the rock mines in Anne Basin in Australia and has entered into a ‘Principles of Off-take Agreement\' with Legend International Holdings of Australia to undertaken joint mining of rock phosphate along with an assured three million MT annual off-take. However, it would take few years to start production from the project. IFFCO has also entered into a joint venture with M/s Grow Max Agri Crop, Canada for potash exploitation in Peru,\" it
said.

However, the DoF said that since IFFCO is not under administrative control of the government of India, it is not aware of the MOU signed by IFFCO with any of
the countries so far.

\"However, IFFCO has not signed MOUs with the respective governments in any of the countries mentioned above.\"

The DoF further said that the above-mentioned projects may result into assured supply of the respective fertilizers or raw materials, to the country.

JIFCO was formed on March 6, 2008 in Amman, Jordan under the \'Free Zone\' system to set up a phosphoric acid plant of 1500 tonnes per day at Eshidiya in Jordan. In this company, IFFCO and its affiliates hold 52 per cent equity, while JPMC holds 48 per cent equity. The project cost is estimated at around USD 671 million.