Fertilizer Plants in Jordan: Potash, Phosphate and Scarce Water
Jordan is one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, yet it is a major global producer of phosphate and potash. Its fertilizer industry serves export markets, while a small farm sector at home competes for very limited water, and food security has become a top national priority. This article covers that balance, the move toward specialty fertilizers and doubled DAP output, and where granulation and drying equipment fits.
Water-scarce agriculture
Jordan has about 61 cubic metres of renewable fresh water per person per year, far below the 500 m³ line that marks absolute water scarcity. Agriculture uses more than half of that water while contributing about 6.9% of GDP. Farming is concentrated in the Jordan Valley, where the climate allows year-round vegetable production, led by tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes.
| Indicator | Figure | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Renewable fresh water per person | About 61 m³ per year | Against an absolute scarcity line of 500 m³ |
| Agriculture's share of fresh water use | More than 50% | Studies suggest farmers use two to five times more water than crops need |
| Agriculture's share of GDP | About 6.9% | US Department of Commerce figure |
| Food self-sufficiency | 61.4% across all food groups in 2024 | Ministry of Agriculture figure |
| Food imports | Close to USD 4 billion a year | Mainly wheat, barley and pulses |
| Treated wastewater in irrigation | About 26% of irrigation supply (2017) | Planned to rise from 135 to 240 million m³ a year |
Treated wastewater is becoming a core part of the farm water supply. Under the National Water Strategy 2023–2040, all treated wastewater is designated for irrigation, and its use is currently limited to fodder crops and fruit trees rather than vegetables. Research suggests Jordan could cut agricultural water use by up to about a third without reducing crop output, mainly through efficiency.
For fertilizer demand, this means a farm sector that is small, irrigation-led and increasingly focused on efficiency. Products suited to drip irrigation and fertigation are likely to matter more over time than bulk volume.
Food security as a national priority
Jordan made food security a top-level policy priority after the pandemic, with a National Food Security Strategy for 2021–2030 and, since June 2025, a Supreme Council for Food Security chaired by the Prime Minister. The strategy treats agriculture as the cornerstone of food security, but gives the industrial and commercial private sector a larger role because water is so scarce. It also aims to make Jordan a regional food security hub for storage, logistics and food processing throughout the Middle East.
| Policy or project | Status | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| National Food Security Strategy 2021–2030 | In force, with action plans | Raises productivity of ground, surface and treated water; diversifies import sources; supports water-saving techniques for small farmers |
| Supreme Council for Food Security | Upgraded by Cabinet decision in June 2025 | Chaired by the Prime Minister; monitors implementation and plans for food crises |
| National Food Security Information Management System | Launched October 2024 | Tracks 33 national and international food security indicators |
| National Water Strategy 2023–2040 | In force | Designates all treated wastewater for irrigation |
| Aqaba–Amman Water Desalination and Conveyance Project (National Water Carrier) | Construction expected from Q4 2026; pumping from late 2030 | 300 million m³ a year of desalinated Red Sea water, a 438 km pipeline and a 281 MW solar plant; about USD 6 billion |
The National Water Carrier is the largest infrastructure project Jordan has undertaken. It is designed to supply about 40% of municipal water by 2040, easing pressure on groundwater. Once complete, more than half of the water used in agriculture is expected to be treated wastewater, as fresh water shifts toward cities.
A phosphate and potash producer moving downstream
Jordan is among the world’s top producers of phosphate rock and potash, and it now plans to process far more of that output at home. In 2025, the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC) produced about 12.14 Mt of phosphate rock, 1.36 Mt of phosphoric acid and 1 Mt of phosphate fertilizers. The Arab Potash Company (APC) produces potash from the Dead Sea under a government concession that runs to 2058, with downstream fertilizers made through its subsidiary KEMAPCO.
JPMC aims to raise the share of phosphate processed domestically from about 52% to 70% by 2032. It also plans to double DAP output from about 700,000 t to 1.4 Mt a year.
| Company or project | Main products | Status |
|---|---|---|
| JPMC | Phosphate rock, phosphoric acid, DAP and related phosphate fertilizers | Plans to double DAP to 1.4 Mt/yr and process 70% of phosphate locally by 2032 |
| APC | Potash from the Dead Sea; downstream fertilizers through KEMAPCO | Concession to 2058 |
| JPMC–APC integrated complex, Aqaba and Shidiya | Sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, purified phosphoric acid, water-soluble fertilizers and specialty potassium phosphate compounds | Agreement in July 2025; partnership agreement in July 2026 to form the Jordan Advanced Specialty Fertilizers Company; about five plants planned; capacity and schedule not published |
| JPMC and Oman National Energy | Phosphoric acid plants in Jordan and a fertilizer plant in Salalah, Oman | About USD 500 million venture |
The JPMC–APC complex grew out of three memoranda signed in February 2023 on ammonia, specialty fertilizers and joint feasibility studies. The companies describe it as a shift from raw-material exports to value-added manufacturing, in line with Jordan’s Economic Modernisation Vision.
Water: a constraint on production too
Water limits fertilizer production in Jordan as well as farming. Potash production is water-intensive, and an investigation by Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ) describes competing demands for water between potash operations and farmers in the southern Jordan Valley.
Water recovery is one practical response. Research using real wastewater from a Jordanian phosphate fertilizer plant found that two-step neutralization could cut fluoride by about 94%. The treated effluent could then go through reverse osmosis to recover roughly half as clean water, with the potential to recycle the brine into production. We cover this kind of water recovery in our article on fertilizer production in water-scarce regions.
Exposure to the 2026 shipping disruption
Jordan’s fertilizer exports are mainly handled through Aqaba on the Red Sea, outside the Strait of Hormuz, so it is less exposed than the Gulf producers. JPMC reported in July 2026 that its Aqaba industrial complex and phosphate port were operating at full capacity.
Indirect effects are still possible. Reporting in October 2026 noted that high sulfur prices, driven by the disruption, are raising phosphate production costs elsewhere. Phosphoric acid production uses sulfuric acid made from sulfur, so Jordanian phosphate processing may face similar cost pressure, depending on how its sulfur is sourced.
Where equipment decisions come in
Jordan already produces DAP, complex NPK and potassium sulphate, and JPMC’s plan to double DAP output makes it one of the clearest equipment opportunities in this series. The JPMC–APC complex points toward specialty products, which use different processes:
| Product | Typical production route | Relevance of granulation, drying and blending equipment |
|---|---|---|
| DAP | Slurry granulation (drum or pan), drying, cooling and screening | Directly relevant, especially with DAP output planned to double to 1.4 Mt/yr |
| NPK complex | Granulation using local phosphate and potash | Directly relevant |
| Potassium sulphate | Chemical conversion, then drying and size separation | Partial; drying and screening after the chemical step |
| Water-soluble fertilizers and specialty potassium phosphates | Purification, crystallization and blending | Limited for granulation; drying and blending may apply |
| Purified phosphoric acid | Purification and concentration | Outside typical granulation scope |
The realistic opening is at the granular DAP and NPK end of the range, where local phosphate and potash give Jordan a structural cost advantage. For any expansion there, the choices come down to drum or pan granulation, dryer and cooler capacity matched to throughput, and screening and recycle handling. These are the areas Ceylan Machine & Process works in. We have not seen any announced equipment selections for JPMC’s DAP expansion or the JPMC–APC complex, so this describes the questions those projects will need to answer, not a claim about any specific plant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Jordan important in the fertilizer industry?
Jordan is among the world’s top producers of phosphate rock and potash. In 2025, JPMC produced about 12.14 Mt of phosphate rock, 1.36 Mt of phosphoric acid and 1 Mt of phosphate fertilizers, while the Arab Potash Company produces potash from the Dead Sea.
How water-scarce is Jordan?
Jordan has about 61 cubic metres of renewable fresh water per person per year, far below the 500 m³ absolute scarcity line. Agriculture uses more than half of the country’s fresh water while contributing about 6.9% of GDP.
What is Jordan’s food security strategy?
Jordan’s National Food Security Strategy 2021–2030 aims to protect the population against food insecurity, use ground, surface and treated water more efficiently, and make Jordan a regional food security hub. Since June 2025, a Supreme Council for Food Security chaired by the Prime Minister has overseen it.
How self-sufficient is Jordan in food?
The Ministry of Agriculture reported a self-sufficiency rate of 61.4% across all food groups in 2024. Jordan exports many fruits and vegetables but imports most of its grain, with food imports close to USD 4 billion a year.
What is the Aqaba–Amman water project?
The National Water Carrier will desalinate 300 million cubic metres a year of Red Sea water at Aqaba and pipe it 438 km to Amman, powered partly by a 281 MW solar plant. Construction is expected to start in Q4 2026, with pumping from late 2030. It should free up fresh water and shift more of agriculture onto treated wastewater.
What is the JPMC–APC fertilizer complex?
It is an integrated complex planned for Aqaba and Shidiya to produce sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, purified phosphoric acid, water-soluble fertilizers and specialty potassium phosphate compounds. The two companies signed a partnership agreement in July 2026 to form the Jordan Advanced Specialty Fertilizers Company. Capacity and schedule have not been published.