U.S. Gulf:
Ammonium sulfate barges were reported at $585-$590/st FOB, up from the week-ago $585/st FOB. Product was reportedly being offered above the $600/st FOB mark.
Eastern Cornbelt:
Sources said the Cincinnati ammonium sulfate market ranged broadly at $595-$610/st FOB, with the inland terminal market reported at $610-$630/st FOB. Michigan sources quoted the granular market firmly at $675-$680/st FOB Toledo.
Western Cornbelt:
Ammonium sulfate pricing remained at $605-$630/st FOB in the Western Cornbelt, depending on location, with the St. Louis market quoted at $605-$610/st FOB.
Southern Plains:
The granular ammonium sulfate market was quoted at $560-$585/st FOB Houston, but pricing at Catoosa/Inola had reportedly firmed to $630-$635/st FOB, up significantly from the start of the year.
South Central:
Ammonium sulfate prices continued to edge higher at some terminal locations in the South Central region. While the low end of the regional market remained at $590-$595/st FOB Memphis, the upper end had reportedly firmed to $605-$635/st FOB terminals in Arkansas and Kentucky, up from $580-$600/st FOB at last report.
Southeast:
Ammonium sulfate pricing FOB Hopewell, Va., remained at the Jan. 6 posted prices of $550/st for granular, $520/st for mid-grade, and $500/st for standard, with reports of a possible increase coming in March. Delivered pricing in Florida was pegged at $565/st for standard and $615/st for granular.
China:
With the Lunar New Year also came reduced demand as countries in the area took time off to celebrate. Sources said the lagging interest dropped prices to $280-$290/mt FOB for caprolactam-grade amsul.
Reportedly, even softer prices are anticipated despite expectations that supplies from China will remain limited for the next few weeks. Factories near the Winter Olympic Games have been ordered to either cut back on production or shut down. The directive was to eliminate air pollution near the Olympic sites.
Turkey:
Imports of ammonium sulfate for 2021 were reported at 830,000 mt, up 180 percent from 2020 imports of 297,000 mt, according to Trade Data Monitor. The main suppliers were China with 466,000 mt, for 56 percent of the export market into Turkey, and South Korea with 95,000 mt, for 11 percent of that market.
December 2021 imports were reported at only 9,000 mt, compared with 25,000 mt imported in December 2020.
Brazil:
Prices softened to $300-$430/mt CFR in Brazil. The lower levels came as buyers were initially seeing softer urea prices, meaning fewer tons of ammonium sulfate were needed as a substitute. At the same time, the price out of China was softening.
The lower prices worked their way to Rondonopolis. Sources reported deals at $530/mt FOB ex-warehouse, a drop of $140/mt in just one week.