US Gulf:
NOLA ammonium sulfate barges moved to $305-$310/st FOB during the week, up slightly from the prior $300-$310/st FOB range, with supplies continuing to be described as tight.
US Imports:
February ammonium sulfate imports were 30,198 st, off 71.2% from the year-ago 104,780 st. July-February volumes were 441,247 st, down 20.7% from the prior 556,641 st.
Imports from Canada totaled 257,272 st for July-February. Belgium sent 120,102 st, followed by 47,455 st from South Korea.
US Exports:
Amsul exports lifted 36.1% in July-February, to 569,273 st from the year-ago 418,230 st. February cargoes were counted at 22,252 st, up 36.0% compared to 16,358 st reported one year earlier.
Eastern Cornbelt:
The granular ammonium sulfate market remained at $370-$385/st FOB in the Eastern Cornbelt, with the Cincinnati market pegged at $370-$380/st FOB at midweek.
Western Cornbelt:
Granular ammonium sulfate was unchanged at $360-$390/st FOB in the Western Cornbelt, with the low at St. Louis and the high reported in Iowa.
California:
Ammonium sulfate was steady at $430-$465/st FOB in California, with the low for standard and the high for granular and/or premium grade. IRM’s April 10 postings included WesternStandard at $430/st FOB/DEL in the Woodland/Chico area, with WesternPremium and Tranzform referenced at the $440/st FOB/DEL level in the state.
Pacific Northwest:
IRM lowered ammonium sulfate postings in the Pacific Northwest on April 10. New list pricing slipped to $370/st FOB/DEL for WesternStandard and $400/st FOB/DEL for WesternPremium and Tranzform, down from the company’s Feb. 24 postings of $405/st and $445/st FOB/DEL, respectively.
Western Canada:
New pricing for ammonium sulfate in Western Canada slipped to C$520-$530/mt DEL, down slightly from the prior C$520-$535/mt DEL range.
China:
Sources reported prices settling in the low-$150s/mt FOB, as demand remains steady and availability picks up. Industries in China that produce amsul as a byproduct are slowly ramping up production as the country’s economy improves.
Brazil:
Sources noted prices slipped dramatically to $160-$180/mt CFR. Despite the drop, buyers at the ports took note of the higher urea prices, wondering if amsul prices will react and once again move up.
Rondonopolis showed a marginal shift down to $290-$300/mt FOB ex-warehouse.
Imports of ammonium sulfate totaled 779,000 mt through the first quarter, Trade Data Monitor reported, a 40% decrease from the year-ago 1.3 million mt.
March imports were 155,000 mt, down from 438,000 mt received in the prior-year period. China supplied nearly 100% of the product for the month.