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
- Bespoke consulting project support
Latest nitrogen news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global nitrogen industry.
Major amsul producers increase pricing for 1Q
Major amsul producers increase pricing for 1Q
Houston, 19 November (Argus) — US ammonium sulfate producers Interoceanic Corporation (IOC) and AdvanSix have increased prices for first-quarter deliveries. IOC increased its first-quarter offers by $20-35/st at all distribution points except for its Houston plant , which will remain at $345/st fob. The low end of the range offered was $335/st fob at Nola, while the high end was $405/st rail delivered for Northern Plains. AdvanSix increased amsul prices by $25/st for all locations for first-quarter delivery. The Hopewell, Virginia, value rose to $355/st fob. Upper Mississippi River warehouses increased to $385/st fob, while Ohio River and Granite City, Illinois, prices increased to $380/st fob. Inland warehouses and rail quotes will maintain traditional premiums over river locations, AdvanSix said. Amsul values continue to rise into the winter pre-pay season because of short domestic supply, driven by high input costs inflating market values. By Meghan Yoyotte IOC's Ammonium Sulfate Prices for 1Q $/st Location Value Nola Barge $335/st FOB Houston $345/st St Louis and Delta Terminals $380/st Upper Mississippi River Terminals $385/st Illinois River Terminals $385/st Ohio River Terminals $380/st FOB Sioux City/Omaha/Casselton, ND $405/st Rail Delivered Northern Plains $405/st — IOC AdvanSix's Amsul prices for 1Q $/st Location Value FOB Hopewell, VA $355/st Upper Mississippi River $385/st Ohio River/Granite City, IL $380/st — AdvanSix Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
India's urea sales regain momentum in November
India's urea sales regain momentum in November
Amsterdam, 18 November (Argus) — India's domestic urea sales are on track to hit around 3.4mn t this month, rising from 3.2mn t a year earlier, with offtake set to be a key determinant of the timing of the country's next import tender. Urea offtake has been running at the equivalent of 3.4mn t in November, up by 200,000t on the year, provisional data show. Production is set to be around 2.6mn t, down from 2.76mn t a year ago. The trend of increasing urea sales so far this month marks a reversal from October, when sales are likely to have totalled 2.32mn t, down from 2.37mn t a year earlier, provisional data show. Output had been similarly down in October on the year, with urea production at 2.58mn t, dipping from 2.85mn t a year earlier. Urea sales typically peak in November-January in the winter Rabi season and Indian authorities will be closely following domestic consumption for the timing of the next urea import tender. Importer IPL last week secured 1.03mn t of urea in its 11 November purchase tender, the sixth this year. By Harry Minihan India's urea sales 2024-25 vs 2023-24 Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
India's IPL outlines ports for urea tender awards
India's IPL outlines ports for urea tender awards
Amsterdam, 15 November (Argus) — Indian fertilizer importer and producer IPL has allocated ports to suppliers for awards under its 11 November tender, which saw the firm buy 1.03mn t of urea for the west coast. IPL issued letters of intent to agreed suppliers for just over 1mn t at $362/t cfr west coast in the evening of 14 November . The breakdown of the awards by supplier and port are detailed in the table below. IPL requested loading by 25 December. Middle East producers are set to dominate supply and will likely end up accounting for half of the tonnage, with netbacks equating to around the high $340s/t fob. Russian tonnage amounts to 200,000t so far at $305-310/t fob Baltic, while Malaysia's Petronas could account for around 100,000t. Nigeria's Indorama will load a total of three urea vessels to IPL next month — one directly and two for trading firms, following one cargo to RCF under the previous Indian urea tender. Nigerian urea moving eastwards highlights the comparative weakness in the Americas. This trend was further underscored by Egypt's Abu Qir also opting to support a trading firm with a prilled urea vessel under this latest tender. By Harry Minihan IPL 11 November urea tender port allocations Supplier Quantity (t) Discharge port Samsung 45,000 Mundra Samsung 45,000 Mundra Samsung 45,000 Mundra Samsung 45,000 Kandla Samsung 45,000 Kandla Sun International 50,000 Mundra Indorama 46,000 Kandla Ameropa 47,150 Pipavav Agrifields 40,000 New Mangalore Agrifields 30,000 New Mangalore Aditya Birla Global Trading 55,000 Mundra Aditya Birla Global Trading 42,000 Mundra Aditya Birla Global Trading 50,000 Pipavav Aditya Birla Global Trading 50,000 Adani Tuna Koch 47,500 Kandla ETG 50,000 Adani Tuna Hexagon 47,000 Pipavav Midgulf 38,800 Rozy Midgulf 46,000 Mundra Fertistream 31,500 Jaigarh Keytrade 42,000 Rozy Fertiglobe 45,000 Dahej Fertiglobe 45,000 Hazira West coast total 1,027,950 — Market sources Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
LAT Nitrogen halts sales to Germany on high gas costs
LAT Nitrogen halts sales to Germany on high gas costs
London, 14 November (Argus) — Major European producer LAT Nitrogen has withdrawn from the German market today owing to a surge in gas costs. LAT Nitrogen produces nitrogen-based products for the fertilizer and industrial chemical markets. It sells CAN, ASN and NPK 15-15-15 to the German market. "We will closely monitor the development of gas prices before considering a return to the market," LAT Nitrogen market intelligence and demand planning analyst Harald Lindner said. Front-month natural gas prices on the Dutch TTF have climbed steadily over the past two months, reaching more than €45/MWh today, up by €10/MWh from September. CAN is a key nitrogen fertilizer used in the German market and spot prices have stagnated at about €280/t bulk cif inland and have failed to grow ahead of the season, despite higher list prices. Yara raised its CAN asking price on 16 October to €305/t bulk cif inland for delivery to Germany and the Benelux countries, up from its previous offer of €295/t bulk cif inland. Buying interest from farmers has been incredibly slow ahead of spring applications this year. Market coverage in Germany for nitrogen fertilizers for the 2024-25 fertilizer year is estimated to be 40-45pc, down from an average of 60-65pc by mid-November. Weak grain prices, reduced farm incomes and warehouses full of unsold agricultural produce are also said to be behind the lack of demand for fertilizers from consumers. Some wholesalers are expecting sales to remain slow until the start of 2025, which will give distributors logistical challenges to deliver product ahead of early spring applications. LAT Nitrogen began maintenance in mid-September on some of the lines at its Linz site in Austria, affecting downstream fertilizer output of ammonia, nitric acid, CAN and NPKs. This was due to be finished by early November. The Linz site is a major source of fertilizers for central and eastern Europe, with CAN 27 annual production roughly at or above 600,000t in typical recent years, according to latest IFA data. The 429,000 t/yr prilled urea plant at Linz was unaffected by the maintenance and is running as normal. By Suzie Skipper Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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