U.S. Gulf:
Ammonium sulfate barge prices moved to $260-$270/st FOB, up from the week-ago $255-$265/st FOB. While $260/st FOB was heard early in the week, sources said it was not there for long.
This week domestic producers reposted their NOLA barge postings, with Interoceanic (IOC) at $275/st and American Plant Food (APF) at $276/st FOB.
Eastern Cornbelt:
Higher producer postings continued to push up granular ammonium sulfate prices in Eastern Canada, with sources now quoting the regional market in a broad range at $300-$330/st FOB, depending on location and supplier.
New postings from IOC on May 3 included $310/st FOB Illinois River terminals and $315/st FOB Ohio River terminals, up $10-$15/st from the company’s last reference prices on March 24.
Western Cornbelt:
The week began with a round of new and higher ammonium sulfate postings from producers. IOC on May 3 raised prices $5-$20/st, depending on location, with new postings reported at $295/st FOB Houston, Texas; $300/st FOB St. Louis, Mo., and Delta terminals; $310/st FOB Tampa, Fla., and Upper Mississippi River terminals; $325/st rail-DEL in the Southern Plains; and $330/st FOB Sioux City, Iowa.
IOC attributed the increase to strong demand and tight inventories, and said truck, rail, and barge lead times are longer and transit times slower this year.
Also on May 3, APF moved its ammonium sulfate prices up to $290-$300/st FOB Freeport, Texas, up from the last reported range of $270-$275/st FOB. APF said the increase is due to limited supply and increasing input costs, and follows “one of the most general rains in Texas in 20 years.”
Northern Plains:
The granular ammonium sulfate market was quoted at $310-$330/st FOB in the Northern Plains, with the low at St. Paul and the high at Sioux City. Delivered tons in the Dakotas were pegged in the $320-$335/st range in early May.
IOC on May 3 reposted ammonium sulfate at $310/st FOB Upper Mississippi River terminals, $330/st FOB Sioux City, and $335/st rail-DEL in the Northern Plains. The last postings from AdvanSix on April 14 included granular tons at $320/st FOB Winona and $325/st FOB Brooten, Minn.
Northeast:
Ammonium sulfate prices were inching higher on reports of tight supply. AdvanSix on April 29 raised prices for all ammonium sulfate products by $15/st in the Northeast, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic regions, with the Hopewell, Va., granular price firming to $300/st FOB. The market FOB East Liverpool, Ohio, was tagged at the $320/st FOB level.
New postings for mid-grade and standard ammonium sulfate at Hopewell were reported at $280/st and $260/st FOB, respectively.
Eastern Canada:
Granular ammonium sulfate pricing in Eastern Canada was up significantly from last report. Sources quoted the regional market at C$459-$515/mt FOB, depending on location, up from C$407-$465/mt FOB in late March.
China:
The ammonium sulfate supply and demand picture is balancing out in Asia. Sources said prices remain in a narrow band in the upper-$150s/mt FOB.
Turkey:
First-quarter ammonium sulfate imports in Turkey were up 76 percent, according to Trade Data Monitor, to 265,000 mt from 150,000 mt in the same period last year.The main supplier this year was China at 172,000 mt, followed by South Korea at 51,000 mt.
March 2021 imports were reported at 118,000 mt, up 14 percent from 104,000 mt in March 2020, with this year’s March imports split almost evenly between China and South Korea.
Brazil:
Ammonium sulfate prices came off slightly to $193-$200/mt CFR at Paranagua. At the same time, the price widened and came up in Rondonopolis to $315-$355/mt FOB ex-warehouse. Sorriso was reported at $320/mt FOB ex-warehouse.
Inland purchases remained small and opportunistic, according to sources. Buyers see no need to rush into any major buying. Sources said the purchases made are just to take advantage of a cargo to top off their own holdings. None are taking long positions.
The barter rate for corn remained steady in Rondonopolis at 39 bags for 1 mt of amsul.