U.S. Gulf:
NOLA ammonium sulfate barges continued to slip, with sources citing some new import vessels hitting the market and less demand due to higher prices. Prices were called $630-$665/st FOB, with late-week price ideas closer to $630-$650/st FOB.
Eastern Cornbelt:
Granular ammonium sulfate prices reportedly fell to $690-$710/st FOB in the Eastern Cornbelt, down $10-30/st, depending on location. The Cincinnati market was pegged at $690-$705/st FOB during the week.
Western Cornbelt:
The ammonium sulfate market slipped to $680-$700/st FOB in the Western Cornbelt, with the low confirmed at St. Louis and the high in Iowa. Caruthersville pricing was pegged at the $690/st FOB level at midweek.
In the Northern Plains, the Sioux City ammonium sulfate market reportedly dropped to $730/st FOB, down from the last reported $755/st FOB level.
Southern Plains:
Terminal prices for ammonium sulfate were sliding at mid-month. The Houston market was reported at $550-$600/st FOB, down from $600-$625/st. Offers at Catoosa/Inola were quoted at the $680/st FOB level.
NeuAG LLC on May 6 announced a new May price for spray and industrial grade ammonium sulfate at $650/st FOB Clute, Texas, with an additional $100/st charged for bags, pallets, and shrink wrap.
South Central:
Ammonium sulfate pricing in the South Central region fell to the $680-$705/st FOB range, down from $690-$730/st, with the low confirmed at Memphis and the high out of spot river terminals in Kentucky. Other terminal prices at mid-month included $690/st FOB Little Rock and $700/st FOB Shreveport.
Southeast:
Ammonium sulfate postings from AdvanSix FOB Hopewell, Va., remained at $670/st for granular, $630/st for mid-grade, and $610/st for standard. Sources also reported some imported granular tons available at $670/st FOB Charleston and $685-$690/st FOB Lumberton, N.C., in mid-May. Pricing in the Florida market was steady at $635/st DEL for standard and $735/st DEL for granular.
China:
Rumors are circulating that while the Chinese government is reviewing the list of commodities currently under export restrictions – such as urea and DAP – they are also considering adding ammonium sulfate to the list. Sources said if amsul gets added to the restricted list, the global nitrogen market will be seriously affected.
Many buyers of amsul have been taking the product as a substitute for the much more expensive and harder to get urea. Demand out of China has been steady, with some periods of softness and some of eager demand. Demand for Chinese amsul reportedly took a step up this week following the removal of import duties on the product by the Mexican government.
Prices remain in the $320s/mt FOB, but with more discussions focusing on sub-$320/mt deals. The softness in pricing is said to be coming from limited demand by Southeast Asian buyers.
Brazil:
Limited trading has allowed the imported ammonium sulfate price to drift down to $400-$410/mt CFR. Rondonópolis has also seen a decline in pricing, to $550-$660/mt FOB ex-warehouse.
Part of the reason given for the price drop is the steady decline in urea pricing. Amsul is often used as a substitute for urea when urea prices are high. As urea prices come off, amsul becomes less attractive.
South Korea:
Ammonium sulfate exports in January-April 2022 were reported at 98,000 mt by Trade Data Monitor. This is about half of the 190,000 mt exported during the same period in 2021.April 2022 exports were reported at 17,000 mt – with Mexico taking 16,500 mt – compared to the 8,000 mt exported in April 2021.