Azomureș, the largest fertilizers producer and the largest single industrial natural gas consumer in Romania, announced it would increase the capacity utilization rate fivefold next month to 50% of its nameplate capacity.

Energy minister Sebastian Burduja, visiting the plant, saluted the decision, and the company's officials implied that the production might increase depending on the support provided by the state.

The total production capacity of the platform is 1.6 million tonnes of fertilizers, of which 80-85% are sold on the Romanian market, Profit.ro reported.

The company suspended production in the fall of 2022 due to the high natural gas prices. In May, the activity had restarted at only 10% of capacity.

The company recently concluded contracts for the purchase of natural gas, which allows the increase of fertilizer production to 50% of the plant's total capacity, starting in October 2023. However, company officials note the high volatility in both the natural gas and fertilizers market, which makes projections about future operations rather risky.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Azomures)