US Imports:
Ammonium nitrate imports for November moved 1.2% higher year-over-year, to 19,790 st from 19,547 st. July-November imports softened 11.1%, however, to 110,294 st from 124,114 st in 2022. Canada sent 109,257 st in July-November. China added 452 st, beating 394 st from Vietnam.
US Exports:
November ammonium nitrate exports were 119,500 st, a 120.5% increase on the year-ago 54,192 st. Exports firmed to 396,839 st in July-November, up 54.7% from 256,511 st through the same period last year. Canada was the largest export destination in July-November with 226,420 st. Mexico received 101,135 st and Lithuania took 39,690 st.
Western Cornbelt:
Ammonium nitrate prices were down some $20-$30/st in Missouri, to $310-$330/st FOB for 1Q shipments, depending on location.
Southern Plains:
Ammonium nitrate pricing dropped to $295/st FOB in Oklahoma, well below the prior $330-$360/st FOB range in the region.
South Central:
The ammonium nitrate market slipped to a broad $250-$305/st FOB in the South Central region, with the low reported for the last business FOB Yazoo City, Miss., and the high out of upriver terminals in Kentucky.
Brazil:
Trade Data Monitor reported 2023 ammonium nitrate imports at 1.14 million mt in Brazil, a significant increase from 708,000 mt in 2022, with Russia sending 99% of the tonnage. Changes to Russia’s export policy accounted for the increase. While exports of many products were severely limited in 2022, the restrictions were adjusted heading into 2023, allowing countries such as Brazil to return to near-normal import rates.
December imports totaled 61,000 mt, against the 30,000 mt received one year earlier. Russia supplied the entire amount.
Poland:
Grupa Azoty reported that its production of nitrogen fertilizers in December totaled an estimated 281,000 mt, compared with 282,000 mt in November. The company’s production of compound fertilizer reached 54,000 mt in December, down from 62,000 mt in November.