U.S. Gulf:
The NOLA ammonium sulfate market was put in the $500-$525/st FOB range, with the high representing reports of last done business and the low representing late week offers to sell. The week-ago range was $515-$520/st FOB.
New lower ammonium sulfate price ideas could be a reaction to lower urea prices, sources said.
Eastern Cornbelt:
The granular ammonium sulfate market was quoted at $545-$570/st FOB in the Eastern Cornbelt, depending on location, with the low reported at Cincinnati and out of spot Illinois River terminals, and the high at inland warehouses.
Western Cornbelt:
Ammonium sulfate pricing remained at $540-$560/st FOB in the Western Cornbelt, with the St. Louis market quoted at $545-$550/st FOB in early December.
Northern Plains:
Granular ammonium sulfate prices were quoted at $540-$550/st FOB St. Paul for the last offers. No current delivered pricing was reported in North Dakota, but sources said they expect new offers soon in the $600s/st DEL.
Northeast:
Granular ammonium sulfate pricing was quoted at $470-$500/st FOB in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, with the high reported at Lancaster, Pa., and the low reflecting the Nov. 22 reference price from AdvanSix at Hopewell, Va.
Eastern Canada:
Ammonium sulfate prices were quoted at C$690-$770/mt FOB in Eastern Canada in early December, up from C$685-$690/mt FOB in November.
China:
Sales from the north and south of China moved the price to $370-$400/mt FOB for standard caprolactam grade ammonium sulfate. The price for all types of amsul moved up as well. Sources reported cargoes of compacted and granular sold at $460-$480/mt FOB, with sellers now looking at $490-$500/mt FOB.
The limited supply from China is combining with steady and strong demand from Southeast Asia and Brazil to move up prices.
Indonesia:
A tender for Gresik closed on Nov. 24 for what will be a total of 360,000 mt of caprolactam-grade ammonium sulfate. The tender was the first round, which called for lots of 20,000 mt to be delivered each month next year.Information about who participated and prices offered was not released.
Thailand:
Imports of ammonium sulfate for January-October were up 38 percent, to 380,000 mt from 275,000 mt during the same period in 2020. China was the main supplier this year at 306,000 mt.
October 2021 imports of 28,000 mt were marginally up from October 2020 imports of 23,000 mt, with China supplying all the tonnage for October 2021.
Brazil:
Granular amsul supplies tightened because of reduced availability from China. Sources put the landed price at $510-$520/mt CFR.
Rondonopolis remained steady at $640-$660/mt FOB ex-warehouse. Sources said the stability in pricing came more from a lack of interest in buying at high prices than from in a lack of interest in the product. As urea prices climb, blenders look increasingly to amsul as a nitrogen substitute, but only when the price is no more than half the price of urea.