U.S. Gulf:
The last done NOLA ammonium sulfate business continued to be put at the $585/st FOB mark, with price ideas still higher for the next round of business.
Eastern Cornbelt:
Granular ammonium sulfate prices remained at $610-$630/st FOB range, depending on location, with the low confirmed at Cincinnati. Pricing in Michigan reportedly firmed to $655-$680/st FOB, depending on location and time of shipment.
Western Cornbelt:
Ammonium sulfate pricing was reported at $605-$630/st FOB in the Western Cornbelt, depending on location.
Northern Plains:
Granular ammonium sulfate prices firmed to $625-$630/st FOB St. Paul and $635/st FOB Sioux City, Iowa, with delivered pricing in North Dakota pegged at $625/st for 1Q tons and up to $645/st DEL for 2Q, up $10-$15/st from last report.
Northeast:
The granular ammonium sulfate market was quoted at a firm $585/st FOB Lancaster, Pa., for the last offers. The reference price FOB Hopewell, Va., remained at the $550/st level.
Eastern Canada:
Sources reported significantly higher prices for ammonium sulfate in Eastern Canada in late January. The market firmed to C$880-$905/mt FOB in the region, up from C$745-$850/mt FOB in early January.
China:
There was talk this week of ammonium sulfate prices at $300-$310/mt FOB, but no sales at that level were reported. Shipments this week were of material purchased earlier in the $330s/mt and $340s/mt FOB for caprolactam-grade amsul.
Supplies are expected to dwindle in February. Plants are expected to close as workers take time off to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Immediately after those celebrations, China will host the Winter Olympics. The central government has instructed most industries to shut down or reduce output for the duration of the games in order to reduce possible air pollution.
Brazil:
The weakening urea market is having an impact on the landed price of granular ammonium sulfate in Brazil. Sources said blenders no longer need to use amsul as a substitute for urea in their production. Prices at the ports have come off significantly to $315-$450/mt CFR.
With limited demand for any fertilizers inland, sources said the price for ammonium sulfate in Rondonopolis is holding steady at $670/mt FOB ex-warehouse.
Thailand:
Ammonium sulfate imports for 2021 were reported at 456,000 mt by Trade Data Monitor, up 58 percent from 2020 imports of 289,000 mt.The main supplier in 2021 was China with 382,000 mt, accounting for 84 percent of the imported amsul market. The second-largest supplier was South Korea with 55,000 mt, for 12 percent of the market.
December 2021 imports were reported at 31,000 mt, up dramatically from the 3,000 mt imported in December 2020. Chinese suppliers dominated the market with 28,000 mt in December 2021.