Chinese fertilizer giant AGVEN is poised to position Pakistan’s Gwadar Port as a key player in the global agrochemical market, following government approvals to export potassium sulphate from its newly operational facility in the Gwadar North Free Zone. The company announced plans to ship $7 million worth of the critical crop nutrient in 2025, with projections to scale exports to $80 million within three years a move set to catalyze industrial activity in the port city.
The breakthrough follows the Special Investment Facilitation Council’s (SIFC) intervention to secure export permissions and exemptions from the Export Policy Order, a milestone hailed as “groundbreaking” by AGVEN. In a letter to the SIFC, the firm praised the council’s role in streamlining approvals, stating, “This development underscores Gwadar’s potential as an export gateway and will attract more industries to invest here.” The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) recently greenlit potassium sulphate exports, unlocking access to international markets.
AGVEN has already invested $5 million to establish Pakistan’s first potassium sulphate plant in the Gwadar Free Zone, which began operations this year. The facility, with an annual capacity of 20,000 tons, will cater to domestic demand while prioritizing exports through Gwadar Port. Pakistan currently consumes 50,000 tons of potassium sulphate yearly, but with AGVEN’s entry, total national production capacity now stands at 65,000 tons creating a surplus for global trade.
Analysts say the venture signals Gwadar’s rise as an industrial and logistics hub under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). “AGVEN’s success could ignite a wave of export-oriented investments in the Free Zone,” remarked trade expert Dr. Aliya Khan. The company emphasized that expanded production and approvals could generate 500+ jobs locally while boosting foreign exchange reserves.
With the SIFC pledging further support to enhance Gwadar’s export ecosystem, AGVEN’s ambitions align with Pakistan’s push to diversify its economic foothold in regions like Africa and Southeast Asia. As global fertilizer demand surges, Gwadar’s strategic maritime location may soon make it a linchpin of agrochemical trade.
