the goan I network
VASCO
In a significant development, operations at the Zuari Agro Chemicals Ltd (ZACL) began on Saturday evening. Highly placed sources informed ‘The Goan’ that the ZACL began operating the NPK (Nitrogen Phosporus and Potassium) plant on Saturday evening. “The NPK plant was operated on Saturday night, the DAP plant of the ZACL and the urea plant will also begin operations in a week’s time. This is an extremely happy moment for all those who are directly or indirectly dependent on ZACL,” said the source.
In the last few days two tankers were seen transporting phosphoric acid towards the ZACL factory.
“The movement of tankers carrying phosphoric acid had already indicated that raw materials were arriving into Goa and that, ZACL, which was recently in the news after shutting down operations on account of financial and other factors, is expected to resume operations,” said the source.
The sight of the tankers had taken many by surprise in Vasco as many people had feared that Goa’s
iconic plant -- which transformed the area and livelihood of thousands of people for several decades -- may not be operational again. Confirming the developments, sources at Mormugao Port Trust had said that a tanker ‘Horin Trader’ had arrived in the port carrying the phosphoric acid for ZACL.
ZACL is one of the main parties to import phosphoric acid, liquid ammonia and Muriate of Phosphate (MOP) into MPT. “There used to be ships arriving regularly for ZACL until a few months ago and most ships stopped arriving in the port for ZACL consignments. We are indeed happy that ships have now started to come in the MPT for the ZACL. We have heard that ships carrying not only phosphoric acid but liquid ammonia as well are expected to come to the port to deliver consignments for ZACL,” an MPT official had said.
It may be recalled that on October 25, ‘The Goan’ had carried a report stating that ZACL had shut down production since July end.The management had later said the company had faced financial crisis due to high raw materials cost along with a rise of dollar exchange rates and a drought in Maharashtra.
