U.S. Gulf/Tampa:
Nothing new was reported on the Tampa or NOLA markets. Tampa for January is $355/mt CFR, up $10/mt from December’s $345/mt CFR.
Eastern Cornbelt:
The ammonia market was quoted at $420-$430/st FOB for spring prepay offers out of regional terminals in the Eastern Cornbelt, with the low out of Illinois locations and the upper end at Huntington, Ind. “Deals have been done at this level,” said one source. “From what I understand, no prompt tons are available, and if any are, it is at the same pricing level as prepay.” The Lima, Ohio, ammonia market was pegged at $420-$425/st for prepay in early January.
Michigan sources quoted the Courtright, Ont., ammonia market at $405/st FOB for prompt fill tons and $445/st FOB for spring prepay to U.S. customers.
Several sources described year-end prepay business as average or slightly below-average at both the wholesale and retail levels, with one source noting “a lot of grain sitting at the farm gate waiting to be sold.” Added another source: “There was some prepay business, but I think it was less than last year on the wholesale side.”
Western Cornbelt:
Spring prepay ammonia offers were quoted at $410-$425/st FOB in the Western Cornbelt in early January, up $10/st from mid-December levels, depending on location and supplier. Nebraska terminal offers were reported in the $410-$415/st FOB range, while Iowa locations were quoted at $415-$425/st FOB for prepay ammonia.
Northern Plains:
Spring prepay offers for ammonia were quoted at $400-$415/st FOB in the Northern Plains, with the lower end reported at Velva, N.D., and the high out of Minnesota terminals.
Delivered prepay offers were quoted firmly at the $420/st level in the North Dakota market, while the last bit of fill business in North Dakota back in December was reported at the $350/st DEL level. Dakota Gasification confirmed that it was sold out of both prompt and spring ammonia tons from its Beulah, N.D., plant.
Eastern Canada:
The anhydrous ammonia market in Eastern Canada was quoted at C$575/mt FOB Courtright, Ont., for January-February tons, up C$50/mt from fall pricing levels. Spring prepay offers for March-June shipments were quoted at C$625-$630/mt FOB Courtright.