The GPC has been running at 40% capacity, for five years, CEO of the Gafsa Phosphate Company and the Tunisian Chemical Group Romdhane Souid, said in a press conference Tuesday in Gafsa, insisting on the need for the survival of the company and that of the GCT, to resume their production rate quickly.
He said that this situation has created a deficit of five billion dinars, lower trading phosphate reserves from 7.2 million tons in 2010 to 2 million now, and a decline in phosphate and derivative export earnings from $ 1.2 billion in 2010 to 351 million in 2015.
The greatest losses were recorded in the mining basin region, due to protests of the unemployed who observe sit-in on the phosphate production and extraction sites, as well as the railway and land transportation routes.
From the beginning of 2016 until July 18, only two million tons of commercial phosphate were produced against forecasts of 3.6 million tons, a shortfall of 44%. During the same period of 2010, production reached 4.3 million tons.
Protests of unemployed people have continued to Redeyef since January. In Mdhilla, a sit-in has lasted for four months because of a land dispute between the residents. This problem that has nothing to do with the CPG, explain the company officials.
