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Phosphate chemicals are used commercially in fertilizers, animal feeds and industrial products and as additives in food. Overall, animal feed–grade phosphates are estimated to account for only 5% of world phosphate consumption. The largest applications for phosphates are agricultural fertilizers (80%), detergents (12%) and specialty applications (3%). This report focuses on the application as feed supplements for livestock, poultry and pets.
The largest production regions for feed phosphates are North America, Western Europe and China. In North America and China, growth came as a result of the phosphate industry, while in Western Europe it came as a means of utilizing hydrochloric acid (HCl), a by-product of the chlor-alkali industry. Two U.S. companies, Mosaic and Potash Corporation, are the largest producers worldwide, followed by Tessenderlo in Western Europe. Yara International (including the former Kemira Grow-How) produces in both Western Europe and South Africa.
The three dominant P supplements are dicalcium phosphate (22% Ca, 18.5% P), used primarily in swine and layer diets; defluorinated rock phosphates, known as DFP or tricalcium phosphate (TCP) (33% Ca, 18% P) used prominently in broiler and turkey diets (for pellet quality); and monocalcium phosphate (16% Ca, 21% P) used prominently in ruminant diets and in mineral and vitamin mineral premixes. In the United States, MCP has gained market share and now commands a 60% share of the market. Poultry accounts for over 50% of worldwide usage, followed by swine.
The following pie chart shows world consumption of calcium phosphates:
China is the largest consumer of feed calcium phosphates, followed by North America, Western Europe, and Central and South America. Asia, and in particular China, will see the fastest growth in feed calcium phosphate consumption. Asia, led by China, is the largest pork producer, followed by Western Europe. Asia will continue to be the largest pork producer through 2015, with China being the largest pork producer in the world. However, not all Asian pigs are fed a nutritionally complete diet; many are fed household scraps, and are not a large consumer of phosphate supplements. China is also the largest aquaculture producer, and is expected to remain so. As a result, it is also the largest fishmeal consumer.
Because of its large livestock and poultry industry, North America is the second-largest consumer of all three calcium phosphates. North America is projected to remain the leader in poultry production for at least another ten years. It has a natural advantage of a plentiful supply of corn and soybeans, phosphate supplements, along with large and efficient operations. Central and South America is the second-largest poultry producer, followed by Asia. Growth in Central and South America is due to increased population, income, per capita meat consumption, along with efficient and cheap production. |
