U.S. Gulf/Tampa: Tampa ammonia prices for November slipped $10/mt from October, to $480/mt CFR. Sources had generally anticipated some pressure on prices, citing expectations that CIS plants would be returning to production, as well as capacity from the new Sorfert plant in Algeria. The first cargo from that plant was reported to have gone to The Netherlands.
While some believe Trinidad supplies may be getting back to normal in November, there were reports that there might be a two-week partial curtailment during the month. During October at least three producers – PotashCorp, Yara, and AUM – took turnarounds, which helped offset gas curtailments. Last week, Yara’s Tringen 2 was slated to come back up from a turnaround, while PotashCorp recently brought back up one plant and will put another on turnaround status for part of November.
November NYMEX natural gas closed Oct. 24 at $3.639/mmBtu, down slightly from the week-ago $3.727/mmBtu.
Eastern Cornbelt: Eastern Cornbelt growers were getting steady reminders that the fall window is narrowing for the completion of harvest and the application of fertilizer.
Frost advisories and freeze warnings were in effect at midweek for most of northern and central Illinois, while northern Ohio experienced rain, scattered snow flurries, and 40-degree temperatures as the week progressed.
Sources continued to talk of excellent yields as the corn harvest reached the midway point and the soybean harvest started to wind down. USDA assigned good or excellent ratings last week to fully 71-82 percent of Ohio’s corn and soybeans, compared with 68-73 percent in Indiana, and 62-68 percent in Illinois.
As of Oct. 20, however, just 31 percent of the Ohio corn crop was in the bin, compared with 43 percent in Indiana and 51 percent in Illinois. The soybean crop was 64-71 percent complete in the region by that date. Growers were also planting winter wheat in the region, with progress rated at 64 percent complete in Indiana, 68 percent in Illinois, and 80 percent in Ohio.
Sources reported minimal changes to the spot fertilizer markets. The anhydrous ammonia market remained at $550-$560/st FOB in Illinois and $560-$570/st FOB in Indiana.
Western Cornbelt: A dusting of snow was reported in parts of central and northern Iowa on Oct. 22, marking the earliest snowfall in 118 years for some location. Other parts of the state reported rains early in the week, which slowed the harvest.
As of Oct. 20, approximately 32-35 percent of the corn crop in Iowa and Nebraska was in the bin, compared with 63 percent in Missouri. The soybean harvest varied widely, with only 36 percent of the crop harvested in Missouri, well behind the 70-80 percent progress reported in Iowa and Nebraska. USDA assigned good or excellent ratings to 68-89 percent of Nebraska’s corn and soybeans last week, compared with 37-45 percent in Iowa and Missouri.
Frequent showers have eased drought conditions in parts of the Western Cornbelt, but the moisture has also delayed both harvest activity and fall fertilizer applications. “It’ll be a compressed fall application season, no doubt,” said one source. “We’re just a rain or two away from being done for the year, and there’s still too much to do. Toward the end of October, one or two rains is all it takes.”
The anhydrous ammonia market remained at $510-$525/st FOB in Nebraska, $525-$540/st FOB in Iowa, and $550/st FOB Palmyra, Mo.
California: The anhydrous ammonia market remained at $630-$635/st DEL in California. Aqua ammonia was steady as well at $172/st FOB in the state.
The harvest continued under nearly ideal weather conditions in California last week, but fertilizer activity was limited. “The mood of retailers