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.
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Latest nitrogen news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global nitrogen industry.
Brazil's Petrobras halts ops at 2 fertilizer units
Brazil's Petrobras halts ops at 2 fertilizer units
Sao Paulo, 9 May (Argus) — Brazilian state-controlled Petrobras halted fertilizer production at two of its recently-restarted units, the firm told Argus . The Araucaria Nitrogenados (Ansa) unit, in southern Parana state, has been halted since 30 April because of an "incident in the compressor room", Petrobras told Argus . The company said that ammonia sales have continued as usual and the timeframe for the fertilizer resumption "will be disclosed in due course". Ansa's operations had started on the same day after being shut since 2020. Ansa has production capacity of 720,000 metric tonnes (t)/yr of urea, 475,000 t/yr of ammonia, and 450,000 m³/yr of Arla 32, a heavy vehicle emissions-control product also known as AdBlue in Europe and DEF in the US. Operations are also halted at the Fabrica de Fertilizantes Nitrogenados (Fafen) unit, in northeastern Sergipe state, because a lack of power supply that damaged the unit's operational system. The damage will require maintenance and Petrobras expects operations to resume this month. Supplies were uninterrupted thanks to "existing factory inventories", Petrobras said. The company also highlighted that Brazil is in its offseason for urea purchases and that farmers are awaiting developments in the war in the Middle East, meaning domestic demand is reduced. Petrobras did not disclose for how long Fafen has been halted, but said that it was "producing continuously" before the power supply issue. It was operating at 90pc of its maximum capacity in early March, which amounts to 1,800 t/d of urea, Petrobras told Argus at that time. Fafen Sergipe restarted ammonia production on 31 December, marking the resumption of operations, Petrobras' chief executive Magda Chambriard said on social media in early January. The unit can produce up to 650,000 t/yr of urea, 450,000 t/yr of ammonia and 320,000 t/yr of ammonium sulphate. Fafen Bahia Another Fafen unit, in northeastern Bahia state, recently reduced output to enable maintenance in its pumping system, but production has since increased. Petrobras did not disclose the unit's current production rate. Petrobras estimates that the return of Fafen Bahia and Sergipe allowed the company to meet approximately 10pc of Brazil's urea market in the first quarter of 2026. All three units — Fafen Bahia, Fafen Sergipe and Ansa — went through "periods of hibernation", Petrobras said, alluding to the units' long periods of idleness. That led to degradation, the need for investment, and "as expected, required maintenance to improve reliability and operational continuity", Petrobras added. Petrobras halted activities at Ansa in 2020, following previous plans announced in 2017, which consisted of fully exiting non-strategic sectors, including fertilizers. Operations in Fafen Sergipe and Bahia had been idled since March 2024, when both were managed by the Brazilian chemical company Unigel. The decision to resume fertilizer operations is in line with Petrobras' strategic plan and Brazil's government national fertilizer plan, which aims to reduce the country's dependency on imports. Brazil consumed more than 49.1mn t of fertilizer in 2025, of which 88pc was imported, according to national fertilizer distributor's association Anda. By Renata Cardarelli Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Spain's Fertiberia to supply PepsiCo low-CO2 fertilizer
Spain's Fertiberia to supply PepsiCo low-CO2 fertilizer
London, 7 May (Argus) — Spanish fertilizer producer Fertiberia will progressively supply global food and beverage manufacturer PepsiCo with up to 150,000 t/yr of low-carbon nitrate fertilizers by 2030, under a new long-term supply agreement. Fertiberia will supply its renewable ammonia-based fertilizers, known under its Impact Zero brand, to global food and beverage manufacturer PepsiCo over an unspecified time frame. Farmers supplying PepsiCo will then use the fertilizers across approximately 400,000 acres (162,000 hectares) of farmland. Fertiberia has produced 20,000 t/yr of renewable ammonia at its Puertollano plant since 2022. The site has a 20MW electrolyser fed by an integrated 100MW solar photovoltaic plant. Fertiberia also produces 180,000 t/yr of natural-gas based ammonia at Puertollano, and previously indicated plans to add a further 50-180MW of electrolyser capacity — although it is yet to do so. The firm has also announced tentative plans for four further renewable ammonia projects in Spain, all of which have yet to reach final investment decisions. Fertiberia produces around 155,000 t/yr nitric acid at Puertollano. Combined with its ammonia feedstock, this can produce around 280,000 t/yr of ammonium nitrate and calcium ammonium nitrate fertilizers. Fertiberia's Impact Zero range utilises slow-release formulas and biological inhibitors to further enhance agronomic efficiency, reducing the overall greenhouse gas emissions of the finished product by 63pc. The supply agreement with PepsiCo builds on a successful trial in Spain and Portugal, where carbon emissions were cut by up to 20pc across corn farming and up to 15pc across potato farming, Fertiberia and PepsiCo said, without providing a benchmark emission level. The programme will now expand to France, Romania, Serbia, Greece and Turkey, for key crops including potatoes, corn, sunflower, sugar beet and rapeseed. The agreement will bring PepsiCo's share of low-carbon fertilizers used in its European operations up to 50pc by 2030, the company said. PepsiCo also has deals with Norwegian fertilizer company Yara in Europe , US nitrogen producer CF in the US and, most recently, agriculture technology company TalusAg across multiple regions . Similar initiatives have been undertaken by other global food and beverage manufacturers, which have a higher willingness to pay for the use of emissions-reducing fertilizer products in their supply chains than the farmers that are directly applying the product. By Lizzy Lancaster Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Dakota Gas' urea focus tied to demand, not DEF rules
Dakota Gas' urea focus tied to demand, not DEF rules
Houston, 30 April (Argus) — Dakota Gasification said it is prioritizing granular urea production over diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) because of a lack of fertilizer imports, indirectly rebutting US secretary of agriculture Brooke Rollins' claim that the shift was prompted by recent federal guidance around DEF sensors. Responding to Rollins' comments, Dakota Gasification on Thursday told Argus that it is maximizing urea fertilizer production at its Beulah, North Dakota, nitrogen plant "due to lack of imports into the US and significant need domestically". The company's statement appears to contradict Rollins' assertion on 28 April that Dakota Gasification is raising urea production and reducing DEF output in reaction to 26 March guidance from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that diesel engines will no longer be required to have urea quality sensors (UQS). Her remarks came as she outlined for reporters the US government's efforts to address the fertilizer affordability crisis . A significant portion of domestic fertilizer imports come from the Mideast Gulf, and the supply shock resulting from the US-Iran war has increased the cost and reduced the availability of imports to the US. Since the war started at the end of February, urea at New Orleans, Louisiana, has risen by $159/st, or 24pc, to $629/st. That is $144/st above year-ago levels. Urea is also used to produce DEF, allowing nitrogen producers to choose between producing granular urea for agricultural use or for urea liquor for DEF. Argus Analytics does not expect the EPA guidance to reduce DEF demand . Diesel engines are still required to retain their NOx sensors. If an operator dilutes its DEF, the sensors will increase the engine's dosing rate to ensure tailpipe NOx emission requirements are still met, offsetting the reduced urea content in the DEF. By Calder Jett Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Egypt’s NCIC issues tender to sell fertilizers for May
Egypt’s NCIC issues tender to sell fertilizers for May
London, 30 April (Argus) — Egyptian producer NCIC has issued a tender to sell various fertilizers for loading in May, closing on 4 May. NCIC is offering the following: 30,000t of DAP — it sold 20,000t at up to $880/t fob in its 20 April tender 10,000t of TSP — it sold 10,000t at up to $695/t fob in its 20 April tender 30,000t of SSP — it sold 20,000t at $340-375/t fob Ain Sokhna in its 27 April tender 25,000t of urea — it sold 10,000t at up to $852/t fob Ain Sokhna in its 27 April tender 1,000t of water-soluble SOP — it sold 1,000t at up to $705/t bagged ex-works in its 20 April tender All cargoes will be ready at the port of loading on 7 May. Products will be priced on a fob basis, except for the SOP, which will be priced on an ex-works basis in 25kg bags from the Fayoum plant. Buyers must load cargoes within 27 days of the issuance of invoices. By Tom Hampson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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