U.S. Gulf:
The ammonium sulfate barge market continued to ratchet up, with new trades called $253.50-$265/st FOB, up from the week-ago $245/st FOB. IOC is posted at $275/st FOB NOLA.
U.S. Imports:
Ammonium sulfate imports firmed 143.8 percent in February, to 101,696 st from the year-ago 41,710 st. Imports were up 101.3 percent for July-February, to 612,926 st from 304,496 st.
U.S. Exports:
February ammonium sulfate exports were noted at 58,236 st, down 18.9 percent from the year-ago 71,813 st. July-February volumes dropped 3.3 percent, to 443,736 st from 458,923 st in the prior year.
Eastern Cornbelt:
The granular ammonium sulfate market was quoted at $270-$315/st FOB in the Eastern Cornbelt, up another $5-$10/st from last report, with reports of even higher numbers out of some inland locations. The last reference prices from producers ranged from $295-$305/st FOB and $310/st rail-DEL in the region.
Western Cornbelt:
Granular ammonium sulfate remained at $255-$265/st FOB St. Louis and Caruthersville and up to $300/st FOB in Iowa on a spot basis. Producer postings continued to range from $295-$310/st FOB in the region.
California:
Ammonium sulfate pricing was steady at $298-$315/st FOB in California, with the low reported for standard grade FOB Chico and the upper end FOB Helm. Sources pegged the premium grade market at the $305/st level FOB Stockton, Woodland, and Lathrop.
Pacific Northwest:
IRM announced another price increase for ammonium sulfate in the Pacific Northwest on April 5. New levels include $338/st FOB or DEL for Tranzform and WesternPremium in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana, up $20/st from March 11 postings, $40/st higher than March 2 postings, and a full $60/st higher than Jan. 8 reference prices.
IRM’s WesternStandard prices also moved up $20/st on April 5, to $300/st FOB or DEL in those four states.
Western Canada:
Ammonium sulfate prices were moving higher on reports of extremely tight supply. The market was quoted at C$500-$510/mt DEL for May tons in Western Canada, up from C$480-$495/mt DEL in mid-March.
China:
Producers in China continue to hold to the idea of sales in the $160s/mt FOB. However, some buyers have been more successful, with purchases reported in the upper-$150s/mt FOB for caprolactam grade ammonium sulfate.
Even as prices show some softening, sources said buyers still see the price as too high to use as a substitute for urea, especially now that urea prices are coming off. One trader noted that the reluctance to buy capro-grade ammonium sulfate has moved some buyers to steel-grade ammonium sulfate, which moved up about $5/mt to the low-$150s/mt FOB.
Compactors looking to sell to Brazil and other offshore buyers are now finding that the price has moved into the $170s/mt FOB, which is beginning to move it out of the range of many buyers.
Turkey:
Ammonium sulfate imports in Turkey dropped dramatically in the January-February period compared to 2020 purchases. The first two months of this year showed imports of 46,000 mt, compared with147,000 mt during the same period last year. China was the main supplier this year, with 121,000 mt.
February 2021 imports were almost non-existent at 123 mt, according to Trade Data Monitor. This compares with 85,000 mt imported in February 2020.
Brazil:
International traders said Brazilian buyers need to be ready for higher prices out of China. Despite the predictions from offshore, Brazilian sources said the landed price of granular ammonium sulfate has softened a tad at the upper end of the old range, making the new price $210-$215/mt CFR.
Standard ammonium sulfate, however, saw a tightening of the market upward to $190-$195/mt CFR, about $45/mt higher at the lower end of the range.
The Rondonopolis price also showed a slight improvement at the upper end of the quoted price range. Sources pegged the market at $290-$340/mt FOB ex-warehouse.
Imports of ammonium sulfate for March 2021 were reported at 406,000 mt, up 142 percent from March 2020 at 168,000 mt, according to Trade Data Monitor. The main supplier remains China with about 306,000 mt received in March 2021.
First-quarter imports were also up dramatically. Trade Data Monitor reported imports for the first three months of 2021 at 2.5 million mt, representing a 47 percent increase from March 2020 of 1.7 million mt.