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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- Daily and weekly nitrogen price assessments, proprietary data and market commentary
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Latest nitrogen news
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Australia faces uncertainty over 2027 phosphate prices
Australia faces uncertainty over 2027 phosphate prices
Sydney, 24 September (Argus) — The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is fuelling concerns over phosphate supply and pricing in Australia ahead of the 2027 winter cropping season. Australian importers typically organise the first MAP/DAP shipments of the season for November loading, but high prices and bearish sentiment in the global market are encouraging importers to delay purchases. Some domestic buyers are responding to the conflict by locking in MAP/DAP and urea cargoes for early-2027 collection , while pricing uncertainty is prompting others to sit back from the market until growers require product, suppliers said. Australia's lack of seasonal demand for MAP/DAP since the war began has shielded domestic prices from some of the global price increases, but if importers were to buy at current levels, they will need to increase offers domestically. While global phosphate prices have softened in recent weeks, levels remain elevated when compared to corrections seen for nitrogen and potash. Many Australian buyers continue to see phosphates as unaffordable. MAP prices have risen significantly since November buying last year. Argus last assessed MAP at $802-836/t fob Saudi Arabia, a 28pc increase from the start of November last year. ( See chart ) The Middle East is not only a key source of fertilizer for Australia , but also accounts for a large proportion of the global sulphur supply , which is a key component in phosphate production. High sulphur prices have supported phosphate production costs. Australia imported about 30pc of its MAP/DAP from Saudi Arabia via the strait of Hormuz in 2025, trade data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show. With the ongoing price volatility, Australian farmers will remain cautious heading into the next buying season, National Farmers Federation told Argus on 22 September. Domestic sellers and buyers grew cautious earlier this year after a sudden drop in domestic urea prices left some market participants with high priced stock. Farmers are also facing firm fuel prices and are watching these very closely, Grain Growers chief executive Shona Gawel told Argus on 22 September. "At this stage, the issue is volatility rather than supply. Markets can react to geopolitical tension long before there are actual shortages, which can quickly affect fuel, freight and fertiliser costs," Gawel said. Supply options There is product available in the global market for Australian importers, but risks have increased in terms of pricing and timing, Western Australian importer CSBP said in a market update on 16 September. Australia sources MAP/DAP from Saudi Arabia, Morocco, China and the US, ABS data show, but there are supply restraints on most of these origins. Australian importers are considering western Saudi Arabian ports for fertilizer imports given the war has blocked off regular east coast trade. But the latest escalation of tensions around the Bab el-Mandeb has put more strain on this option. No vessels have been confirmed for this route, and Australia's last fertilizer import from Saudi Arabia arrived in late July, vessel tracking data from Kpler show. Australia's MAP/DAP stocks remain sufficient to meet current prompt demand despite slower imports so far this year, market participants said. By Susannah Cornford Australian import price comparison Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Venezuela looks to US for fertilizer, ag aid
Venezuela looks to US for fertilizer, ag aid
Caracas, 14 September (Argus) — Expanded US agricultural cooperation with Venezuela could support Caracas' plans to boost fertilizer output but could also increase competition in other markets, some producers in key Venezuelan agricultural states say. On 10 September the US Department of Agriculture announced measures aimed at opening the Venezuelan agricultural market, including for US exporters. The deal lifts US restrictions on foreign banks dealing with Venezuelan agricultural producers and expands technical support for the sector, among food assistance and other measures. It also promotes sales of US farm products to Venezuelan importers through an export guarantee credit program. Expansion of Venezuela's agricultural sector would support more demand for fertilizer, and the measure comes as Venezuelan state petrochemical company Pequiven is seeking to boost urea and ammonia production to 300,000 metric tonnes (t) from September to December, a source at the Pequiven complex in El Tablazo, Zulia state, said. Venezuela exported 421,972t of urea in 2025 and is still Latin America's largest producer, but some sources have indicated that production has declined in recent years. Venezuela has had 2.2mn t/yr of granular and prilled urea production capacity since 2015, according to Argus consulting. Pequiven recently restarted imports from its Colombia-based subsidiary Monomeros of NPK fertilizer. It has focused on supplying domestic urea to agricultural producers in the state of Portuguesa, a key producer of corn, sugar cane and rice. Producers in Portuguesa are cautiously optimistic that the US deal could help open their market access, but some were concerned that it could create a competitive advantage for US agricultural exports, market sources said. Sugar producers in Portuguesa have protested against increased imports of their product from Brazil in recent days. Financial sanctions and restrictions as well as frequent power outages in Venezuela have hurt agricultural production in states including Portuguesa, Barinas and Guarico. By Jose Chalhoub Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Sabic AN approves FID for new urea, ammonia facility
Sabic AN approves FID for new urea, ammonia facility
Amsterdam, 10 September (Argus) — Saudi Arabian fertilizer producer Sabic AN's board has signed off on a final investment decision (FID) for its new 2.6mn t/yr urea facility, with commercial production set for the fourth quarter of 2030. The facility will also include a 1.2mn t/yr ammonia capacity and post-combustion carbon capture unit. Construction is planned to start in the fourth quarter this year, according to a stock exchange filing. The new facility will boost Sabic AN's annual urea capacity by just over half to 7.4mn t from 4.8mn t. The Saudi energy ministry approved the allocation of gas for the project in late March . Sabic AN is the sole supplier of urea in Saudi Arabia, producing and typically loading out of Jubail, but the war in the Middle East has forced the supplier to also load from Yanbu on the west coast. The firm ships most of its produced urea abroad, and Argus estimates exports of 4.1mn-4.2mn t last year. Sabic AN announced plans at the start of March to incorporate the Ibn Al-Baytar plant to its existing portfolio, adding slightly under 500,000 t/yr capacity, and bringing its overall urea capacity to just over 4.8mn t/yr, Argus estimates. There are two major announced urea projects set for completion by 2030 in the Mideast Gulf currently, excluding Iran, with state-owned producer QatarEnergy intending to build a new complex , doubling its urea production capacity to 12.4mn t/yr. The $3.5bn engineering, procurement and construction contract for the new Sabic AN facility has been awarded to Samsung. By Harry Minihan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Sabic AN and Maaden eye Saudi fertilizer collaboration
Sabic AN and Maaden eye Saudi fertilizer collaboration
Amsterdam, 18 August (Argus) — Major Saudi Arabian fertilizer producers Sabic AN and Maaden have signed an agreement to explore potential collaboration opportunities. The non-binding agreement aims to establish a framework for exploring opportunities within the fertilizer value chain, including the production and manufacturing of value-added products, according to an exchange filing. The agreement is valid for three years from its signing, Sabic AN said. Sabic plans to add 2.6mn t/yr of urea capacity in the future, bringing its total capacity to around 7.4mn t/yr, after the Saudi energy ministry approved an allocation of gas for the addition in March. The agreement was signed between Sabic AN and Maaden Integrated Fertilizer (MIFC). MIFC was incorporated in September 2023 and is a holding company for Maaden's stakes in its phosphate businesses and other key subsidiaries. Sabic and Maaden have had a long association in the fertilizer space, with Sabic having held minority shareholdings in Maaden's Wa'ad Al-Shamal and Maaden Phosphate since their inception. By Harry Minihan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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Global Ammonia Market Dynamics & Impact of US‑Iran Conflict, CBAM
Global Ammonia Market Dynamics & Impact of US‑Iran Conflict, CBAM
Global Sulphur & Sulphuric Acid Market Dynamics & Impact of US-Iran Conflict
Global Sulphur & Sulphuric Acid Market Dynamics & Impact of US-Iran Conflict
Global DAP Market Dynamics & Outlook: Opportunities for Pakistan?
Global DAP Market Dynamics & Outlook: Opportunities for Pakistan?
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