U.S. Gulf/Tampa: The markets remained quiet last week, with Tampa continuing to be called $690-$710/mt DEL and NOLA $655/st FOB.
Eastern Cornbelt: The anhydrous ammonia market was unchanged at $700-$730/st FOB in the Eastern Cornbelt region, with reports of fall prepay offers at the $735/st FOB level in the Illinois market.
Sweltering heat and worsening drought continued to blanket the Eastern Cornbelt in early July, with triple-digit highs reported throughout Illinois and central and southern Indiana. Heat advisories and warnings were in effect for most of Ohio at midweek as well.
As of July 3, drought conditions in Indiana continued to range from severe to extreme, with the latter category reported in northern and southwestern areas of the state.
Most of Illinois was in moderate to severe drought, with the southern tip of the state experiencing extreme drought in early July. In Ohio, most of the state was under moderate drought conditions last week.
USDA’s crop ratings last week showed rapidly deteriorating crop conditions in the region. As of July 1, good or excellent ratings were assigned to only 19-20 percent of Indiana’s corn and soybeans, compared with 26-28 percent in Illinois and 29-33 percent in Ohio.
In most cases, the percentage of crops in the poor or very poor categories outweighed the good or excellent fields last week. Fully half of Indiana’s corn was rated as poor or very poor as of July 1, along with 33 percent of the crop in Illinois and 26 percent in Ohio. As for soybeans, 43 percent of the Indiana crop fell in the poor or very poor categories last week, compared with 30-31 percent in Ohio and Illinois.
Western Cornbelt: The anhydrous ammonia market in the Western Cornbelt region was flat at $625-$660/st FOB regional terminals.
As of July 3, most of Missouri was under severe drought, with the southeastern corner of the state experiencing extreme drought conditions. Drought conditions in central and eastern Iowa ranged from moderate to abnormally dry, while most of Nebraska was under moderate or severe drought conditions last week, with the driest areas in western Nebraska.
The region’s corn and soybean crops continued to develop ahead of normal, but crop conditions were declining as excessive heat and drought continued. Fully 56 percent of the Missouri corn crop was silking by July 1, compared with 25 percent in Nebraska and 16 percent in Iowa. USDA assigned good or excellent ratings to 62 percent of Iowa’s corn acreage last week, compared with 56 percent in Nebraska and just 18 percent in Missouri. Some 48 percent of Missouri’s corn was rated as poor or very poor last week.
Soybeans at the blooming stage totaled 25-26 percent of the acreage in Nebraska and Iowa last week, compared with 11 percent in Missouri. Some 59 percent of Iowa’s soybeans were still rated as good or excellent last week, compared with 45 percent in Nebraska and 18 percent in Missouri. USDA placed 49 percent of the Missouri soybean crop in the poor or very poor categories last week.
California: A new slate of ammonia postings took effect July 1. Calamco’s anhydrous ammonia price firmed $40/st on that date, moving to $745/st DEL in California. Aqua ammonia postings from the company also moved up to $200/st FOB from the previous $190/st FOB posting.
Pacific Northwest: Anhydrous ammonia was pegged at $820-$840/st DEL in the Pacific Northwest, up some $20-$30/st from last report.
Western Canada: The anhydrous ammonia market moved on July 1 to $892-$901/mt DEL in Manitoba, $901-$910/mt DEL in Saskatchewan, and $910-$937/mt DEL in Alberta. Those levels were down more than $300/mt from spring pricing levels.