U.S. Gulf: While many sources put prompt granular barge trades within the $305-$310/st FOB range last week, most agreed that prices were working their way back up as the week ended. Some reported sales as high as $313-$315/st FOB.
Prills were called weaker at a flat $310/st FOB.
Overall, U.S. urea imports were down 37 percent in July-August, to 1.21 million st from the year-ago 1.91 million st.
Eastern Cornbelt: Driven by a firming barge market, granular urea pricing was up from last report in the Eastern Cornbelt.
Sources quoted the Cincinnati, Ohio, urea market at $345/st FOB, up $10-$15/st from last report, while the upper end of the regional range was reported at $365-$370/st FOB inland terminals in Ohio and Indiana.
Western Cornbelt: Granular urea was pegged at $335-$345/st FOB regional terminals in the Western Cornbelt.
Northern Plains: Granular urea pricing in the Northern Plains was up from last report, fueled by a firming NOLA market and the seasonal closing of the Upper Mississippi River to commercial barge traffic.
Sources quoted the Twin Cities urea market at $345-$350/st FOB, up $20/st from late October levels. Out of terminals in the Dakotas, sources pegged the market at $372-$385/st FOB, depending on location, with rail-delivered tons reported in the $375-$385/st range last week.
Great Lakes: Granular urea pricing was up from last report in the Great Lakes region. Wisconsin sources pegged the dealer market at $345-$365/st FOB, depending on location, while Michigan contacts quoted the market at $375/st FOB Toledo, Ohio, and up to $395/st FOB Webberville, Mich.
Northeast: The Nov. 17 storm that brought deadly tornadoes to Illinois and Indiana carried strong winds into parts of western New York and western Pennsylvania as well, but only minimal damage was reported.
Growers continued to peck away at fall fertilizer work and harvest activities in the Northeast, with the corn harvest rated at 86 percent complete in Pennsylvania as of Nov. 17.
On the fertilizer pricing front, urea prices appeared to be moving up slightly. Sources quoted the granular urea market at $355/st FOB Fairless, Penn., and East Liverpool, Ohio, early in the week, but others reported dealer pricing out of the Philadelphia market at the $375/st FOB level as the week progressed.
Pakistan: The multiple tenders held by TCP are about the only game in town right now.
Last month the Pakistan government ordered TCP to buy 500,000 mt by the end of the year. To fulfill that order, TCP called a series of tenders. The latest closed Nov. 18 and Nov. 20. The last tender closed Nov. 22 after Green Markets went to press.
The Nov. 18 tender showed a drop in prices of about $8/mt compared to the second tender of the series. Dreymoor came in with the lowest offer at $344.42/mt CFR.
The tally from the tender follows.
| Nov. 18 Urea Tender for 75,000 mt |
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| Offering Company | Quantity (mt) | Source | US$/mt CFR |
| Dreymoor | 100,000 | Open | 344.42 |
| Qu | |||