NPC is planning to expand its presence in African petrochemical market. NPC president, M. R. Nematzadeh has said, "our market studies indicate growing demand in some African countries. They show that demand is on the rise for polyethylene, polystyrene, PET, ABS and chemical fertilizers".
NPC's current major African customers include Egypt, Mozambique, South Africa, Nigeria and Tunisia. Nematzadeh told the Iran & Africa Cooperation Forum, which was held in Tehran that the continent offered future potential for NPC stressing that "we are determined to expand our ties with Africa."
In 2002, NPC exported around 25,000 tonnes of various products valued at over $9.6mn to Africa. Its major export destinations included: Egypt, Mozambique, South Africa, Nigeria, Tunisia and Tanzania. He presented an initiative to broaden the NPC's cooperation with African countries. The initiative included joint investment, technical cooperation and trade relationship.
He said, "we are prepared to study proposals by interested African companies who are willing to invest in the Iranian petrochemical industry on joint-venture schemes to implement the NPC's projects which are currently being or will be developed in the future."



The proposals, he said, "may also include projects that are not drawn up in the framework of NPC's expansion program but are proposed by interested African parties and enjoy reasonable profit margins."
NPC was also ready to study joint venture arrangements in those African countries where petrochemical feedstock was available and to invest in projects, which enjoy reasonable economy.


IPCC sold the second shipment of 10,000 tonnes granular sulfur produced from phases 2-3 of the South Pars to Indonesia. The first shipment was sold to China in December 2002. The new consignment was exported in the second half of February 2003.
The South Pars sulfur is produced in granulated form with sizes ranging from 2 to 7mm in yellow colors and with world quality standards and specifications. South Pars gas field will be developed in various phases, each producing 200 tonnes/day of granular sulfur.
Iran exported most of the product to India, China, Philippines and Vietnam. Iran was the world's seventh largest producer of sulfur in 2001 by producing 870,000 tonnes.



Meanwhile, the UK based FMB Group said in its recent weekly fertilizer report, issued on 6 March 2003, that last year IPCC's strategy of selling spot cargoes on a regular basis enabled the company to consistently achieve the best netbacks of all sulfur suppliers in the international marketplace. He went on to say that "this year the same strategy is reaping rewards with February sales to Indian suppliers at $76-77 per tonne FOB ex-Bandar Imam, Kharg Island and new origin Assaluyeh". The FMB Group said in its weekly report that "for March loadings, IPCC set a target price of $80 per tonne FOB and this week has been entertaining offers for 30,000 tonnes for late March lifting in Bandar Imam Khomeini."