Nitrogen
Overview
The ease of urea availability east and west of Suez has shaped the current trade flows of this key nitrogen fertilizer. Despite challenges posed by energy prices and military conflicts, key import markets such as India, Australia, and Latin America remain robust. But structural oversupply and the role of China as a swing exporter have led to price volatility as this fast-moving market seeks equilibrium, more so during seasonally high-demand periods.
Our extensive nitrogen coverage includes prilled and granular urea, UAN, ammonium nitrate, and ammonium sulphate. Argus has many decades of experience covering the nitrogen market and incorporates our multi-commodity market expertise in key areas including ammonia and natural gas to provide the full market narrative.
Argus support market participants with:
- Daily and weekly nitrogen price assessments, proprietary data and market commentary
- Short and medium to long-term forecasting, modelling and analysis of urea prices, supply, demand, trade and projects
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Latest nitrogen news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global nitrogen industry.
US amsul imports reach record high in March
US amsul imports reach record high in March
Houston, 8 May (Argus) — US ammonium sulfate (amsul) imports reached a record high in March, bringing importsfor the current fiscal year to date to record high levels as well. US imports of ammonium sulfate reached 171,200 metric tonnes (t) in March, according to the latest data from the US Census Bureau. Monthly imports in March topped the previous record high set in February by 2,300t . Volumes in March 2024 were double the March average of the past 10 years. Year to date imports during the 2024 fiscal year — which runs July-June to track the fertilizer crop year — through March reached 824,000t, up 75pc from the year prior. Offshore imports arriving at Nola in April are currently estimated at nearly 51,100t, according to bill of lading data. Amsul supply has been short this spring, caused by several production outages beginning in January](https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2531726). Prices have remained elevated for amsul because of limited supply, while other nitrogen fertilizers have been on the decline in recent weeks. Recent imports were priced at $407.5/st fob, compared to year-ago levels of $327.5/st fob. By Meghan Yoyotte US ammonium sulfate imports ’000t Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Pakistan's ECC approves urea imports of 200,000t
Pakistan's ECC approves urea imports of 200,000t
Amsterdam, 8 May (Argus) — Pakistan's Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) met on 7 May and has approved the import of 200,000t of urea for the Kharif summer season. The ECC did not disclose an exact timeline, but a tender will have to be issued shortly if the imports are to meet demand in Kharif, which runs from April to September with demand peaking in June-July. Pakistan occasionally enters the import market to plug supply gaps in key consumption periods. State-owned importer TCP previously agreed a deal with Azerbaijan's state-owned Socar in early December last year to source 200,000t of urea for arrival by 20 January. Domestic supplier Engro began maintenance at its 1.3mn t/yr granular urea Enven plant towards the end of April and is expected to return to production in mid-June. Pakistan's urea inventories started April at around 170,000t, but are set to be under significant pressure in June-July, data from the country's national fertilizer development centre (NFDC) show. Demand is set to hit over 800,000t in June and around 650,000t in July, outstripping typical domestic output of 520,000-555,000 t/month in the peak summer months. This has prompted the need for imports, given current stock levels. By Harry Minihan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Urea prices remain under pressure on latest sales
Urea prices remain under pressure on latest sales
Amsterdam, 16 April (Argus) — Price indications for urea in north Africa and from the Black Sea have fallen, while fresh sales for Nigerian urea have taken place at $255/t fob, as the market continues to shrug off tensions in the Middle East. Nigerian producer Dangote has sold two 30,000t cargoes of granular urea, probably at around $255/t fob for loading in the second half of this month. Bids were heard in the low $250s/t fob and below last week. Indications for Egyptian granular urea to European markets have slipped to $300-305/t fob with bids at $295/t fob and below. Argus assessed urea at $305-310/t fob Egypt for Europe yesterday. Indications for Algerian urea to Europe broadly span $300-310/t fob. A supplier has sold a small lot of Turkmen granular urea at around $260/t fob Poti for loading in the first half of next month, down from offers around $270/t fob at the end of last week. US loaded barge prices have also slipped to $300-310/short ton fob Nola, framed by bids and offers, having traded at $311/st fob yesterday. Full-April barges traded at $304/st and $305/st fob earlier today. The physical urea market has mostly brushed aside the intensifying tensions in the Middle East, after Iran fired drones and missiles at Israel on 13 April, with two cargoes probably concluding lower at $255/t fob Iran on 15 April . Iran exported about 5mn t of urea last year, while the Middle East accounted for 19mn t out of 52mn t of global trade, Argus data show. By Harry Minihan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Argentina to remove import duties on urea, UAN: Caputo
Argentina to remove import duties on urea, UAN: Caputo
Amsterdam, 10 April (Argus) — Argentina's economic minister Luis Caputo is proposing to eliminate import tariffs of 5.4pc and 3.6pc on nitrogen-based fertilizers urea and UAN. Caputo reported the planned move on X, formally known as Twitter, without specifying a timeline. Argentina is the third-largest urea import market in Latin America, after Brazil and Mexico, receiving 825,000t last year, and as much as 1.55mn t in 2021, trade data show. Egyptian product accounted for 44pc of imports, or 364,000t, in 2023. Argentina has a commercial agreement with Egypt which exempts the import duty. Meanwhile, Nigerian producers supplied almost a fifth at 156,000t, while imports of Algerian urea were 125,000t last year. The country has one major urea producer, Profertil, which is jointly owned by north America's Nutrien and Argentinian state-owned energy company YPF, and has an annual granular urea capacity of 1.32mn t. UAN receipts were around 350,000 last year, down from just over 680,000t in 2020. Imports are typically sourced from the US, Trinidad and Tobago and Russia. By Harry Minihan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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