US Gulf/Tampa:
The Tampa ammonia price remained at November’s $625/mt CFR. No news was reported regarding the December contract, though some industry sources speculated that a rollover is likely, or perhaps a small swing on either side of $625/mt CFR.
Eastern Cornbelt:
Ammonia remained at $725-$750/st FOB regional terminals in Illinois and Indiana, depending on location and producer, with the Lima, Ohio, market quoted at the $750/st FOB level for prompt tons.
Sources reported heavy fall applications of ammonia during the week, resulting in temporary outages at some regional terminals. “It’s been a phenomenal fall,” said one ammonia contact on Nov. 21. “We’re running nonstop.”
Western Cornbelt:
The ammonia market was steady at $715-$725/st FOB in the Western Cornbelt, with the low in Nebraska and the high in Iowa and Missouri. Sources reported brisk application taking place in the region at mid-month, aided by favorable weather conditions and soil temperatures.
Southern Plains:
Prompt ammonia pricing was unchanged at $625-$675/st FOB Oklahoma production points, depending on location.
South Central:
Ammonia was quoted at a low of $450/st FOB Midway, Tenn., with prompt truck pricing out of Gulf Coast production points pegged in a broad range at $570-$625/st FOB, depending on location.
Iran:
January-October ammonia exports from Iran totaled 4.1 million mt, Trade Data Monitor reported, a marginal decline from the year-ago 4.2 million mt. October exports were 438,000 mt, down 7% from 471,000 mt in October 2022. Turkey led October buyers with 175,000 mt, followed by South Africa with 91,000 mt.
Indonesia:
Indonesian ammonia exports softened 10% in January-September, according to Trade Data Monitor, to 1.3 million mt from the 1.4 million mt shipped in the same period of 2022. Third-quarter exports totaled 470,000 mt, up 5% from 450,000 mt in July-September 2022, while September exports of 158,000 mt were up 37% from the year-ago 115,000 mt.
South Korea:
While not a market maker, sources often look to South Korea to confirm sales trends in the region. January-October imports totaled 908,000 mt, Trade Data Monitor reported, a 19% decline from the 1.1 million mt received through the first 10 months of 2022.
Sales into South Korea were slack for most of the year, but imports began to pick up at the end of the third quarter. The country received 103,000 mt in October, a 9% increase from 94,000 mt in October 2022.
India:
Trade Data Monitor reported January-September ammonia imports to India at 1.8 million mt, an 11% year-over-year increase from 1.6 million mt. India imported 88,000 mt in September, down 52% from the prior year’s 185,000 mt. Oman accounted for about one-quarter of the month’s imports, sending 23,000 mt.
China:
Chinese ammonia imports and exports firmed in January-October, Trade Data Monitor reported. Exports for the 10-month period totaled 177,000 mt, a 41% increase on the year-ago 126,000 mt, while January-October ammonia imports lifted significantly, to 622,000 mt from the 195,000 mt received in the same period of 2022. October imports – all from Indonesia – totaled 31,000 mt, up from 123 mt in October 2022.