Thailand's potash producer Asean Potash (Apot) will start building the country's first 1.2mn t/yr MOP plant in Chaiyaphum province at the end of this year, with plans to start commercial production in 2028.
The producer has received all the necessary government permits to proceed with the plant construction, said a company source. The plant is expected to start producing 300,000t of white crystalline standard MOP and 300,000t of granular MOP in 2028 before gradually ramping up to its nameplate capacity.
Apot will sell granular MOP domestically and export standard MOP to regional markets within southeast Asia. The producer also plans to export MOP to other markets such as Australia and India in the future.
Thailand is a key MOP market in Asia that relies wholly on imports of mainly granular MOP to fuel its bulk blend market, with imports reaching 900,000t in 2024, according to latest GTT data. Domestic MOP production in Thailand will help to reduce the country's reliance on imports.
Apot's emergence as a potash producer in southeast Asia will also likely lead to more regional competition for market share and more supply to the region, as it competes with other regional producers in Laos and other traditional producers from countries such as Canada, Russia and Belarus.
