US Gulf:
NOLA ammonium sulfate barges continued to be quoted in the $400-$410/st FOB range.
Eastern Cornbelt:
The granular ammonium sulfate market remained at $460-$480/st FOB in the Eastern Cornbelt, depending on location, with the Cincinnati market quoted in the $465-$480/st FOB range at mid-month.
In the Eastern US, AdvanSix on Oct. 17 raised its ammonium sulfate postings at Hopewell, Va., to $490/st FOB for granular, $450/st FOB for mid-grade, and $430/st FOB for standard. Those levels are up $40/st from the company’s Aug. 15 reference prices.
Western Cornbelt:
Granular ammonium sulfate pricing was quoted at $445-$480/st FOB in the Western Cornbelt, with the low confirmed at St. Louis and the high in Iowa.
California:
The granular ammonium sulfate market was quoted at $525-$570/st FOB in California, depending on grade and location, with the low reflecting offers at Lathrop, Woodland, and Richvale.
Pacific Northwest:
Granular ammonium sulfate remained at $470-$490/st FOB or DEL in the Pacific Northwest. Standard grade was reported at $420/st FOB and $420-$445/st DEL, depending on location.
IRM’s Oct. 4 postings for ammonium sulfate FOB warehouses or DEL in Washington, Oregon, Utah, Idaho, and Montana included $470/st for Transzform and WesternPremium, and $420/st for WesternStandard. The WesternStandard posting reflects a $20/st increase from the last reference prices.
Western Canada:
Ammonium sulfate prices in Western Canada were pegged at C$665-$680/mt DEL for fall tons, with postings remaining as high as C$735/mt DEL from some suppliers.
China:
Prices in China remain stagnant at $220-$225/mt FOB for caprolactam-grade amsul. Sources said most of the deals are taking place at the lower end of the range.
Brazil:
The landed ammonium sulfate price remains at $280-$295/mt CFR, with the bulk of the business taking place in the $280s/mt CFR. Sources said there is a push for higher levels, with some future pricing looking at $290-$295/mt CFR.
The anticipation of higher amsul prices comes as buyers look to possible urea price increases as the year winds down and the next season begins to kick into gear. There is also concern that with India looking to take 2 million mt of urea in its tender, the market could tighten and force up the ammonium sulfate price.
Rondonopolis prices moved up to $420/mt FOB ex-warehouse.
South Korea:
Ammonium sulfate exports from South Korea dropped to 191,000 mt for January-September 2022, according to Trade Data Monitor, down 58% from the 454,000 mt exported during the same period in 2021. The main buyers were Mexico with 83,000 mt, the US with 59,000 mt, and New Zealand with 41,000 mt.
Third-quarter 2022 sales of 65,000 mt were off by about a half from the 133,000 mt exported during the same quarter of 2021.
September 2022 sales were limited to 364 mt, down from 72,000 mt exported during September 2021 and 45,000 mt in September 2020. The low amount is unusual, but not unprecedented. May 2022 exports were at 142 mt and January 2022 showed exports of 6,000 mt. The rest of the months of the year had exports ranging from 15,000-60,000 mt.