PLANT CITY (970 WFLA) -- As many as 400 jobs could be affected, as phosphate giant Mosaic announces plans to shut down its phosphate manufacturing facility on Paul Buchman Highway north of Plant City by the end of the year, idling it for at least a year.
Mosaic says in its third quarter earnings release that closing the Plant City facility "will ensure minimal market disruption from new capacity additions," in other words, preventing an oversupply. Mosaic is closing its Plant City facility as it ramps up a joint venture with a Saudi Arabian company. A plant in Saudi Arabia just came on line this summer, and is expected to take up serving the South Asian market.
Mosaic says it will focus its North American production on markets in the Western Hemisphere.
Mosaic facilities in Polk and Manatee counties are unaffected by the closure.