Global food demand to give Gulf’s liquids-to-chemicals strategy a leg up 

Al-Monitor Pro Members

Sebastian Castelier

Freelance journalist covering Gulf economies 

Dec. 27, 2023

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) agreed this month to buy European chemical producer OCI’s entire 50% stake in Abu Dhabi-based Fertiglobe, the largest Middle Eastern nitrogen fertilizer producer. The move falls within Gulf countries’ strategy to export a greater share of their fossil fuel resources in the form of chemicals, of which the agrochemical sector is a key pillar. Agrochemicals include inorganic fertilizers that provide additional nutrients to crops and pesticides that protect seeds and crops from insects, bacteria, fungi, etc.