Qatar Fertilizer Company (QAFCO) was established in 1969 as a joint venture between the Government of Qatar and a number of multinational firms to utilize Qatar's abundant gas resources for producing ammonia and urea  fertilizer. Today QAFCO, the only fertilizer producer in Qatar is jointly owned by  Industries Qatar (IQ) (75%), Yara Nederland BV (15%) and Fertilizer Holdings AS (10%). QAFCO is Instrumental to the industrial diversification program of the Qatari Government through the optimal utilization of national resources, QAFCO's establishment  formed the basis of the Mesaieed Industrial area. Over the past 25 years QAFCO has progressively developed its productive units, production capacities and product quality.

This steady growth and success made QAFCO the largest single fertilizer producer in the Middle East and put Qatar among the leading exporters of Ammonia and Urea in the world.