Diego Martin North/East MP Colm Imbert has blamed the Government’s natural gas pricing approach for Nutrien’s decision to cease operations, while warning that the closure could increase fertiliser costs for local farmers.
Responding to questions about the loss of more than 300 jobs, Imbert rejected statements that the Government could not be blamed for the company’s decision.
He said the dispute centred on the price of natural gas supplied by the National Gas Company and claimed the cost being sought had reached a level that Nutrien considered financially unviable.
Imbert said older petrochemical plants face higher maintenance costs and can also be less efficient in converting natural gas into fertiliser, making them more vulnerable to increases in feedstock prices.
He argued that sustained pressure for higher gas prices could eventually force operators to conclude that production in Trinidad and Tobago was no longer economically viable.
Imbert also warned of consequences beyond employment, saying Nutrien had been a significant fertiliser supplier to local agriculture.
He said farmers could now become more dependent on imported fertiliser, which he predicted would come at higher prices.
