INTRACOM TO BUILD THREE ADDITIONAL PLANTS TO BOOST PHOSPHATE PROCESSING





📍Manyara

The Itracom Fertilizers Limited mine, engaged in the extraction and processing of phosphate minerals at Vilima Vitatu in Babati District, Manyara Region, has commenced construction of a new large-scale processing plant aimed at increasing the production of raw materials used in manufacturing various types of fertilizers.

The company’s Deputy Director, Nestor Nibitanga, said the mine currently operates one processing plant, which no longer meets growing market demand due to the rising need for fertilizers both domestically and internationally.

“Our plan is to add three more plants to reach a total of four. This step will significantly increase the speed and volume of production. At present, we produce between 400 and 700 tonnes per day, but market demand is much higher,” said Nibitanga.

He explained that before officially commencing mining activities, the company paid compensation totaling Sh4.9 billion to 567 residents who vacated the project area. The compensation covered houses, trees, and relocated graves, as well as the construction of a new primary school to replace the previous one.

“We paid fair compensation and built a new school at a cost of Sh1.5 billion to ensure that communities living near the project are not directly affected,” he said.

Nibitanga noted that since the project began, its benefits have extended beyond the surrounding communities to the agricultural sector through improved availability of raw materials and quality fertilizers.

He added that the company plans to expand its investment scope by starting the production of fully processed fertilizers instead of limiting operations to raw materials only — a move expected to reduce reliance on imported inputs.

“Our goal is to achieve self-reliance by producing complete fertilizers locally. Moreover, quality fertilizer requires quality seeds, so we also plan to invest in seed production,” he said.

He further explained that the fertilizer produced by the company contains a blend of 50 percent natural raw materials and 50 percent mineral components, helping to preserve soil fertility compared to some purely mineral fertilizers that may degrade soil quality over time.

Currently, the company is conducting research to ensure that each crop and soil type receives fertilizer tailored to its specific needs.

Fomi fertilizer produced by the company is already being sold in Uganda and Kenya, while Angola and Malawi are in the final stages of preparations to begin distribution.

Meanwhile, the company’s Marketing Manager, Projest Amos, said the Itracom factory located in Nala, Dodoma, has the capacity to produce up to one million tonnes of fertilizer per year, using phosphate minerals mined locally.

He said the use of the fertilizer has brought improved results for farmers compared to previous years when most fertilizers were imported.

“Farmers are now using locally produced fertilizers, which have shown positive results. Fomi fertilizer helps reduce soil acidity (pH) and enhances nutrient uptake, particularly in the Southern Highlands regions,” said Amos.

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