SOP — Potassium Sulphate
Specification
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Potassium (K₂O) | 52% |
| Sulphur (S) | 18% |
| Chloride content | minimal — chloride-free grade |
Standards: KS 1900 series (potassic fertilizer); KEBS PVoC reference for the SOP product line.
Origin
China, Uzbekistan.
Loadports
| Port | Inspector |
|---|---|
| Qingdao | Cotecna or CCIC under the 2026–2029 KEBS PVoC cycle |
| Singapore (transit) | SGS |
| Tashkent / Caspian transit (Aktau) | Intertek |
Volume
10,000–25,000 MT per shipment by sea. 12,500–25,000 MT per month by land.
Delivery Terms
FOB / CFR / CIF Mombasa.
Payment
Buyer's bank issues; seller's bank advises or — where required — confirms. Sarpah is not on the instrument chain.
MT103 prepayment with APG under URDG 758; DLC under UCP 600; SBLC under URDG 758 / ISP98.
Application
SOP is the chloride-free potassium fertilizer specified for chloride-sensitive crops where MOP cannot be used:
- Tobacco — chloride affects burn and quality grade
- Tea (premium grades) — chloride affects flavour profile in higher-altitude tea
- Horticulture export crops — French beans, snow peas, mangetout, baby corn, cut flowers (roses, summer flowers) — chloride accumulation reduces shelf-life and export quality
- Fruit trees — citrus, mango, avocado where chloride sensitivity is documented
- Greenhouse / fertigation — closed systems where chloride accumulation is operationally limiting
The 18% sulphur content adds an agronomic benefit on Kenyan soils that increasingly show sulphur deficiency under intensive cropping.
Compliance
- Buyer-side product registration with the Fertilizer & Animal Foodstuffs Board (Cap 345 framework) and KEBS standardisation
- CCIC PVoC mandatory for China-origin cargoes (SGS / Intertek not authorised for China)
- KEBS Certificate of Conformity
- Certificate of Origin from China CCPIT or Uzbek CCI
- COA, Weight Certificate
- EAC CET: HS 3104.30.00 (potassium sulphate). Duty 0%. VAT exempt under Finance Act 2025
Procurement Profile
| Buyer Type | Volume | Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Horticulture exporter (flowers, vegetables) | 500–3,000 MT per quarter | Year-round |
| Tobacco industry (BAT Kenya, Mastermind) | 1,500–5,000 MT per cycle | Pre-planting |
| Premium tea estate | 1,000–3,000 MT per cycle | Cycle-driven |
| Greenhouse / fertigation specialist | 200–1,500 MT per quarter | Year-round |
| Fruit-tree specialist (citrus, mango) | 500–2,000 MT per quarter | Pre-flowering |