The Industrial Zone of Cienfuegos is a specialized belt, where several plants of strategic importance to national economic development are concentrated, including several which are the only ones of their type in Cuba. Among these is a true gem: the NPK Nitrogen Fertilizer factory.
The focus of rigorous supervision by national and provincial leaders since the beginning of its construction, the brand new plant is taking its first steps to accomplish a critical objective: ensuring the supply of fertilizer required by Cuban agriculture, and thus replacing costly imports.
The total investment to erect and equip the plant, with a production capacity of 55 tons of fertilizer per hour, was 41 million pesos. The largest portion was allocated by the Cuban state, while an amount exceeding four million dollars was contributed by India.
The NPK has an annual production capacity of 300,000 tons of mixed fertilizers of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K), necessary soil elements that allow plants to build tissue, grow and develop in all phases of their productive cycle, thus increasing yields.
Satish Gh Maurya, one of the Indian specialists who participated in the assembly of machinery, pointed out that this is the first plant in Cuba on which experts from his country have worked. They provided their services, taking great interest in the project, he noted, adding that the Cuban team was very receptive and collaborative.
The first stage of the NPK project involves the plant’s basic operations core, which will allow for productive levels to meet the requirements of Cuban agriculture for 2019, 2020 and part of 2021, explained Mario Valmaseda, director of the in Cuba Chemical Enterprise (Equifa).
(Granma)
He said that, after this stage, demand is projected to increase and, by that time, the second phase should be completed, which includes the construction of warehouses for the high volume of raw material that will be needed.
Equifa deputy director Fidel Rivero added that this second stage will include, along with the three warehouses for raw materials, roads and protection systems, to be completed by 2020.For the remainder of 2019, production of 79,300 tons is planned, and the plant is responsible for guaranteeing 70% of the fertilizer needed during the cold season planting period, which will favor food production in the fourth quarter of the year and early 2020.
NPK Cienfuegos will save the country 25% of the expense currently required to import ammonium sulfate, diammonium phosphate, phosphorus, and potassium chloride, since zeolite – the base component for mixed fertilizers – is of national production, from the Ranchuelo and Villa Clara deposits, said Joel Vale, a project specialist.
(Granma)