U.S. Gulf/Tampa: While sources were left to speculate on the Tampa ammonia market of January, the long slumbering NOLA barge market saw some action last week. During the week, sources said they expected some new business within the $380-$390/st FOB range, down from $440/st FOB. Eventually, a trade jelled at the $382/st FOB mark.
January NYMEX natural gas settled on Dec. 12 at $4.409/mmBtu, up from Dec. 5’s $4.132/mmBtu.
Eastern Cornbelt: Winter weather advisories were posted for much of the Eastern Cornbelt last week. Sources said 2-4 inches of snow blanketed northern Illinois at midweek, with similar amounts expected in central and Indiana as the week advanced. Wind chill temperatures in northern Ohio reportedly dipped to the low single digits last week.
The fall ammonia application season was over in the region, and sources reported very limited dry spreading activity. The anhydrous ammonia market remained in the $540-$550/st range FOB Illinois terminals for the last done prompt business, with the upper end of the regional range tagged at the $560/st FOB level in Indiana.
Spring prepay ammonia was reportedly being offered at $550/st FOB in Illinois on a spot basis.
Western Cornbelt: Field activities slowed in the Western Cornbelt region with the arrival of snow in December. Local reports talked of 2-4 inches of accumulation throughout much of Iowa last week, while southeastern Nebraska collected 3-6 inches.
Missouri sources reported up to 8 inches of new snow in some parts of the state at mid-month, along with much colder temperatures. Forecasts reported highs reaching only into the 20s in Kansas City early in the week, with wind chills dipping below zero.
The anhydrous ammonia market remained at $510-$520/st FOB in Nebraska and Iowa and $530-$535/st FOB Palmyra, Mo., with spring prepay offers reportedly circulating at a $10/st premium to the prompt market. Missouri sources quoted delivered tons in the $540-$550/st range from southern production points.
Northern Plains: Sub-zero lows and heavy snow hit the Northern Plains region in early December. Local reports said several feet of snow blanketed parts of northern Minnesota, while thermometers in North Dakota sank to minus 24 degrees in some locations last week.
The winter weather brought fall applications of ammonia and dry fertilizer to a standstill in the region, although several sources said the fall season had never really slipped into high gear this year as growers held out for lower fertilizer prices.
The anhydrous ammonia market was quoted at $525-$550/st FOB in the Northern Plains, depending on location and time of delivery. Delivered ammonia was reported in the $565-$590/st range in North Dakota, with the low for fill tons and the upper end for spring prepay.
Eastern Canada: Parts of Ontario collected 2-5 inches of snow early in the week, with freezing rain reported in Toronto. The Maritimes also experienced freezing rain and snowfall as the week advanced, with 2-4 inches expected in New Brunswick by midweek.
More snow and cold was in store as the week advanced, with overnight lows in Toronto dipping to -9 C and snow accumulation in some lakeshore communities in southern Ontario reaching 15 inches by Dec. 12.
The Prairie Provinces, meanwhile, were shivering through an arctic blast that dropped temperatures to the -20s C in parts of southern Manitoba and southern Saskatchewan last week.
The winter weather made for minimal field activities, and fall ammonia applications were over in the region. The anhydrous ammonia market had reportedly slipped to $580-$635/mt FOB Courtright, Ont., depending on time of delivery.