U.S. Gulf:
The ammonium sulfate barge market continued to be called $225-$240/st FOB.
Eastern Cornbelt:
Sources quoted the granular ammonium sulfate market at $250-$270/st FOB in the Eastern Cornbelt, with the upper end reflecting the March 1 postings from AdvanSix FOB Granite City, Ill.
Western Cornbelt:
Sources continued to report ammonium sulfate prices ranging from $245-$270/st FOB in the Western Cornbelt, with the low at Caruthersville and the higher end out of spot Iowa locations for March-June tons. The St. Louis market was pegged at $255-$265/st FOB at mid-month, while reference prices from producers remained at $260/st FOB St. Louis and $275-$280/st FOB Sioux City, Iowa.
Southeast:
AdvanSix on March 15 raised prices for new orders of bagged ammonium sulfate by $40/st FOB Chester, Va. The company said the increase was effective immediately and in response to strong demand.
California:
Ammonium sulfate pricing firmed to $298-$315/st FOB in California, with the low reflecting the March 11 reference price from IRM for WesternStandard FOB Chico. Sources pegged the market FOB Stockton and Woodland firmly at the $305/st FOB level, and Simplot was reportedly referenced at $305/st FOB Lathrop and $315/st FOB Helm, up $15/st from last report.
Pacific Northwest:
Sources quoted the granular ammonium sulfate market at $290/st FOB in Idaho, up $20/st from last report.
IRM announced another price increase for ammonium sulfate on March 11. New levels include $318/st FOB or DEL for Tranzform and WesternPremium in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana, up $20/st from IRM’s March 2 postings, and $40/st higher than Jan. 8 reference prices. WesternStandard prices also moved up $20/st on March 11, to $280/st FOB or DEL in those four states.
Western Canada:
Ammonium sulfate pricing in Western Canada was up significantly from last report, with inventories described as very tight. The market was pegged at C$480-$495/mt DEL for spring tons, up C$55-$65/mt from late February offers.
China:
Limited supplies are pushing up the price based on steady and strong demand. Sources reported a deal of 6,000 mt of caprolactam product to Universal Harvester in the Philippines for a netback of $165/mt FOB.International traders said similar small deals in the region are expected to continue pushing up prices as long as supply remains limited out of China.
Brazil:
Sources in Brazil confirmed ammonium sulfate sales at $190-$195/mt CFR at Paranagua. International traders, however, are calling the market around $210/mt CFR, claiming that older offers at that level have been accepted. Despite the disagreement, sources everywhere agree that the ammonium sulfate market in Brazil is much quieter than the urea market.
Local traders maintain that $200/mt CFR has not yet been broken, but most agree that it soon will be. Prices for August and September cargoes are in the $200s/mt CFR, and seem to be the main topic of discussion in the country.
Reports are circulating that international traders who were supposed to supply product under arrangements inked last September are now defaulting on that deal because of a lack of product. One trader said in some cases the issue was the inability to secure a freight rate that allowed for delivery under the original terms of the contract.
Like other commodities, importers of ammonium sulfate are facing the double whammy of higher product prices and rapidly rising freight rates.