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Carolina Eastern joins ag distributor coalition

  • : Fertilizers
  • 24/08/14

US fertilizer distributor Carolina Eastern to join Aligned Ag Distributors (AAD) ownership group in a move that the company expects will bolster its competitiveness in the nutrient space.

Carolina Eastern will join a group of about 12 other distributors in the US that work together to be cost efficient in providing crop protection products, fertilizer, and other crop inputs to customers across the country. The company will officially become an additional AAD owner on 1 October.

Joining AAD will strengthen Carolina Eastern's role as an independent agriculture retailer and make the company more competitive in the crop protection market, Carolina Eastern executive vice president Butch Rodgers said.

The distributor company offers crop nutrients and other agriculture services at 30 retail locations, largely based in South Carolina.

AAD offers combined negotiation and purchasing power to increase the success of local distributors.


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25/03/07

NorthAm market presumes potash is USMCA compliant

NorthAm market presumes potash is USMCA compliant

Houston, 7 March (Argus) — North American fertilizer market players presume that potash (MOP) imported from Canada to the US will be exempt from tariffs for now, despite lack of a clear definition from the latest White House executive order. Potash that is mined and produced in Canada would be considered compliant under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and should not face a duty during the tariff pause initiated by the administration of President Donald Trump on Thursday, industry sources told Argus . That understanding should account for the vast majority of MOP produced in Canada and exported to the US. Any potash that is not USMCA certified faces a reduced 10pc duty imposed this week during the month-long delay on the broader Canada and Mexico tariffs Trump has threatened, according to the executive order signed on Thursday. Though the details of what form of Canadian potash products may not be compliant is unclear, the fertilizer market assumption is that no tariffs will apply if data can be provided by the exporter, importer or producer to show the product crossing the border is USMCA compliant, sources said. Examples of non-certified potash product could be compound NPK fertilizers, which are created by mixing nitrogen, phosphate and potassium or other micronutrients, sources said. US industry association The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) called the new executive order's actions "a positive step forward" in its efforts to stress the importance of affordable fertilizer products. On a nutrient basis, the US imported 98pc of its potash in 2023 and about 85pc of those imports came from Canada, according to TFI. But some sources have voiced confusion regarding whether other imported Canadian fertilizer products, such as nitrogen, ammonia and sulfur, would also be considered USMCA compliant. Although sulfur is wholly produced in Canada as a by-product of crude oil refining, and ammonia is created through the usage of likely Canadian natural gas, the situation would be less clear for phosphate fertilizers from Mexico, where some raw materials are imported. The US imported 33pc of its urea consumption on a nutrient basis in 2023, where 15pc of imports came from Canada. For ammonia, the US imported 12pc of its consumption, 50pc of which came from Canada. And 35pc of US ammonium sulfate imports came from Canada in 2024, according to US Census Bureau data. By Taylor Zavala Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

High US potash stocks to delay tariff reaction: Update


25/03/06
25/03/06

High US potash stocks to delay tariff reaction: Update

Updates text to include tariff delay for Canadian goods. Houston, 6 March (Argus) — Ample stocks of potash in the US would likely delay the impact of the US' Canadian import tariffs on prices and volumes, according to North American fertilizer market participants. Leading up to the February and March deadlines for the tariffs, a significant volume of Canadian potash was brought into the US, adding onto stockpiles leftover from the fall application season, according to sources. Potash price movement has been minimal since Tuesday, when the US tariffs were initially put in place before being delayed Thursday, partly because of the stockpiling and because some of the impact of the tariff is already priced into the market. MOP trade at Nola has been flat week-over-week at around $305/st fob. That is up by $50/st from the start of January but $12.50/st lower than the final week of February 2024. US potash producers Mosaic and Intrepid said an increase in the price of potash from the tariffs would likely materialize for second quarter product. It is unclear what the overall impact on the market would be, but Mosaic said that it would be borne by downstream distributors and end users. Mosaic also added that the overall impact of tariffs is unclear but that North American and global potash demand would remain robust. The product should remain affordable, Mosaic said, despite expectations of significant disruptions in global potash trade flows and logistics. But with the impending start of the spring application season on the horizon, and expectations of robust potash demand, potash prices at Nola and further inland could rise. Earlier today President Donald Trump announced that Mexico, which also was hit with a 25pc tariff on its goods this week, would not be required to pay tariffs on anything that falls under the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement at least through 2 April. A similar deal for Canadian goods was announced shortly afterward. Potash market participants said early Thursday morning that potash could be carved out of the policy in the future, a position advocated by industry groups Agricultural Retailers Association and The Fertilizer Institute. "Nobody wants this," one source said. "But we are going to hunker down and take [the tariffs] day-to-day." There is additional confusion among buyers of Canadian potash on how the tariffs will be implemented with shipments that have already been negotiated and which buyers will receive shipments from US warehouses or from across the border. By Taylor Zavala Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Saudi Ma’aden sells DAP to south Asia, Americas


25/03/06
25/03/06

Saudi Ma’aden sells DAP to south Asia, Americas

London, 6 March (Argus) — Saudi Arabian phosphates producer Ma'aden has sold 174,000t of DAP for shipment in March to various destinations. Indian fertilizer importer and producer IPL bought 60,000t of DAP from Ma'aden at the prevailing $636/t cfr. The price is likely to net back to the mid $620s/t fob Ras Al-Khair. A trading firm bought 30,000t of DAP for shipment to Nepal, priced in the low $650s/t cfr. Ma'aden has also reported selling 44,000t of DAP for shipment to the US, priced on formula, and 40,000t of DAP at $655/t cfr Argentina. No buy-side confirmation has yet emerged for these sales. By Tom Hampson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Chile’s SQM to halve MOP sales in 2025


25/03/06
25/03/06

Chile’s SQM to halve MOP sales in 2025

London, 6 March (Argus) — Chilean producer SQM expects its potash sales to fall by 50pc this year as it continues to prioritise lithium at the expense of MOP at its Salar de Atacama site, and diverts more potash for NOP production. SQM sold 695,000t of potash in 2024, up from 543,000t in 2023, suggesting 2025 sales could fall to 350,000t. Sales in 2024 exceeded expectations thanks to strong demand in Brazil, Europe and India, as well as higher than anticipated sales of SOP from third parties. In November, the company revised down its 2024 MOP sales forecast by 30,000t to 620,000t, having upped its forecast to 650,000t in the previous quarter. Despite higher sales volumes, potash revenue fell to $271mn in 2024 from $279mn in 2023 because of lower average sales prices. Fourth-quarter revenue hit $66mn, up from $51mn a year earlier, as sales volumes rose to 166,000t from 113,000t. Sales from SQM's specialty plant nutrition business were up by 17pc last year, at 982,900t. NOP and sodium potassium nitrate sales accounted for 534,000t of this, up by 20pc. Revenue from the speciality plant nutrition business hit $942mn last year, up from $914mn in 2023. Gains were capped by a 12pc decline in average sales prices — to $958/t from $1,088/t. SQM sees the global NOP market growing by 4-5pc this year, and expects its NOP sales volumes to rise in line with or slightly above this level. It expects prices to be similar to those in the second half of 2024. By Aidan Hall Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Moroccan sulphur imports hit all-time high in 2024


25/03/06
25/03/06

Moroccan sulphur imports hit all-time high in 2024

London, 6 March (Argus) — Moroccan fertilizer producer OCP received 8.3mn t of sulphur last year, marking the first time yearly imported volumes have risen above 7.2mn t and reflecting OCP's growing sulphur demand. OCP's sulphur requirements have risen on the back of additional sulphur burning capacity coming on line. OCP started ramping up its newest burner in December, which is expected to consume 550,000 t/yr of sulphur at capacity. OCP also launched a 417,000 t/yr burner in the second quarter of 2024. Overall imports in 2024 climbed by 1.83mn t on the year with Kazakh deliveries accounting for just under half of the market share, against 33pc of the market share a year earlier. Kazakh receipts totalled 4.1mn t, nearly doubling on the previous year, latest GTT data show. The surge in Kazakh shipments reflects a change in trade flows. OCP favoured Kazakh sulphur because of the shorter sailing time as Middle East origin cargoes were diverted from the Red Sea route, often needing to sail via the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope, which boosted freight costs. Additionally, the Brazilian market has drawn in less Kazakh sulphur in recent years, leaving north Africa as the main market. Saudi receipts were up by 58pc at 915,000t, as OCP imported more crushed lump and granular combination cargoes last year to cut down on material costs. The UAE remained a key supplier for Morocco, shipping 2.5mn t and accounting for 31pc of the market share. In contrast, Polish deliveries dropped by 219,700t to just over 100,000t imported over the year, as growing demand from European consumers drew in more Polish sulphur. Deliveries from the US dipped by 212,000t on the previous year, with more US product remaining onshore as sulphur production has been constrained by lighter slates and refinery closures. Moroccan sulphur demand is expected to be higher again this year, with the latest sulphur burner still in ramp-up phase. A turn toward receiving more Middle East product could also be possible to feed growing demand. By Jasmine Antunes and Maria Mosquera Moroccan sulphur imports '000t Country Dec-24 Jan-Dec 24 Jan-Dec 23 UAE 281 2,541 2,541 Kazakhstan 172 4,058 2,130 Saudi Arabia 148 915 580 Poland 0 100 320 US 38 38 250 Qatar 53 208 263 Kuwait 53 231 153 Spain 0 148 145 Other 0 52 70 Total 744 8,290 6,452 — customs data Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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