I’m AMAZED that in spite of $38Billion bid by BHP for Canadian Potash Corp, how little Australian investors understand the potash story. I’m also bewildered how this small company STB has been ignored by the market and yet they hold BEST and most unique potash deposit in the world. Whilst the company management has great aspirations of bringing the Coluli deposit into production by 2016, IMO this unfortunately will never happen as they will betaken over well before that. With potash prices continuing to raise both China and India are looking to challenge the intensified monopoly of the big potash cartels by securing their own supplies. India imports nearly its entire potash need of 6 million tonnes, and accounts for 60 per cent of the world imports. Feng Mengwei, deputy manager of Sinofert Holdings, the largest fertilizer importer in China also made the following statement “the country depends on imported potash fertilizer to meet more than half its needs. It is a threat to our national food security,” China actually imports nearly 80% of its potash needs (10.5Million tonnes). Chinese were in fact prepared to spend $7 Billion few months ago to buy the minority stake in Belaruskali Potash Company in Belarus just to thwart Russians attempts to control half the potash market. With Chinese strong presence and good relationship with Eritrean government, I would be very surprised if they haven’t already scanned their eye over STB considering that it could at minimum meet 50% of their potash needs for the next 30 - 40 years.
STB Price at posting:
$2.22 Sentiment: Hold Disclosure: Held
