US Gulf:
NOLA barge price ideas continued to move down. Sources called the market $335-$345/st FOB, below the prior $345-$360/st FOB.
US Imports:
July-November ammonium sulfate imports were off 17.8% year-over-year, at 282,770 st compared to 344,051 st. November imports stood at 40,585 st, falling 37.8% from the year-ago 65,290 st.
Imports from Canada totaled 164,635 st for July-November, followed by Belgium with 89,647 st. Tons originating from South Korean were counted at 17,141 st.
US Exports:
Exports for November stood at 88,917 st, up 217.9% from the year-ago 27,968 st. July-November exports were seen at 381,510 st, up 52.2% from the prior-year 250,745 st.
Eastern Cornbelt:
Granular ammonium sulfate pricing was quoted at $405-$460/st FOB in the Eastern Cornbelt, with the low at Ottawa, Ill. The Cincinnati market fell in a broad range at $425-$460/st FOB during the week.
Western Cornbelt:
Granular ammonium sulfate pricing dropped to $395-$425/st FOB in the Western Cornbelt, with the low confirmed at St. Louis.
Southern Plains:
Granular ammonium sulfate was pegged at $405-$430/st FOB in the Southern Plains, down $10/st from last report, with the low confirmed at Catoosa/Inola and the high at Houston.
South Central:
Ammonium sulfate pricing slipped to $430-$435/st FOB in the South Central region, down $10-$15/st, with the low reported at Memphis.
Southeast:
Ammonium sulfate pricing FOB Hopewell, Va., was steady at $490/st FOB for granular, $450/st FOB for mid-grade, and $430/st FOB for standard. Pricing in the Florida market remained at $395/st FOB/DEL for standard and $505/st FOB/DEL for granular.
China:
Sources reported steady pricing in the low-$170s/mt FOB, although there were reports of bidding in the $160s/mt FOB. Sources said the bids are being rejected, but buyers seem to be getting more aggressive in their efforts to take the price back down.
Brazil:
Sources reported softer prices at $245-$250/mt CFR. Industry observers pointed to lower freight rates from China to the Americas as a major influencer on pricing.
Rondonopolis was reported at $400/mt FOB ex-warehouse on light demand.
Imports of ammonium sulfate for 2022 totaled 5 million mt, Trade Data Monitor reported, a 41% increase from 3.5 million mt received in 2021. Chinese producers supplied the bulk of the material at 4.6 million mt, while Belgium was a distant second with 160,000 mt.
December imports stood at 723,000 mt, more than double the 312,000 mt imported in December 2021. Fourth-quarter imports were 1.9 million mt, up from the year-ago 1 million mt. Imports totaled 3 million mt in the second half of the year, nearly double the 1.8 million mt recorded in second-half 2021.