U.S. Gulf:
NOLA barges continued to drift down, moving to $655-$675/st FOB from the week-ago $665-$685/st FOB range.
U.S. Imports:
Ammonium sulfate imports were off 10.5% for the July-March period, to 655,773 st from the prior-year 732,311 st. Imports moved down 17.0% in March, to 99,036 st compared to the year-ago 119,385 st.
Imports from Canada totaled 345,397 st for July-March, followed by Belgium at 183,317 st, and 80,579 st from South Korea. Falling year-over-year imports recorded from both Russia and the Netherlands were primarily responsible for the market’s softer import total in the fertilizer year-to-date.
U.S. Exports:
Ammonium sulfate exports for March firmed 101.8%, to 50,726 st from 25,139 st. July-March shipments moved 0.1% higher, to 470,085 st from 469,612 st in the prior year.
Eastern Cornbelt:
Granular ammonium sulfate prices reportedly slipped to $700-$740/st FOB in the Eastern Cornbelt, down from the prior week’s $725-$760/st FOB range, with the low confirmed at Ottawa, Ill., and Cincinnati.
Western Cornbelt:
The ammonium sulfate market remained in the $680-$740/st FOB range in the Western Cornbelt, with the high confirmed in Iowa and the low at St. Louis.
Southern Plains:
NeuAG on May 6 announced a new May price for spray and industrial grade ammonium sulfate at $650/st FOB Clute, Texas, with an additional $100/st charge for bags, pallets, and shrink wrap.
Northern Plains:
The granular ammonium sulfate market remained at $740-$755/st FOB in the Northern Plains, with the low reported in Minnesota and the high at Sioux City, Iowa. Delivered pricing was pegged at $745-$760/st in North Dakota, down from the last reported range of $760-$800/st DEL.
Great Lakes:
Ammonium sulfate pricing in the Great Lakes region was quoted at $740-$750/st FOB, down from the last reported $750-$770/st FOB range. As with UAN, ammonium sulfate supplies were described as tight in the region.
Northeast:
Granular ammonium sulfate pricing in the Northeast was down slightly from last report. While delivered pricing remained in the $725-$775/st range in the region, terminal prices had reportedly dropped to as low as $695/st FOB Lancaster, Pa. “With a better weather forecast for the next week or so, we expect application to pick up,” said one regional contact.
Eastern Canada:
The ammonium sulfate market in Eastern Canada remained at the C$1,039-$1,075/mt FOB level in early May, unchanged from last report.
China:
The market went quiet, waiting for guidance from the Indian urea tender. The lack of action kept prices at $320-$330/mt FOB. However, with the possibility of a softening urea market, the price of amsul is expected to also drop.
Sources noted if the netbacks to China from the Indian urea tender hold, the price of amsul will have to go sub-$300/mt FOB.
Brazil:
The landed price was reported at $400-$410/mt CFR, down from the week-ago $440-$460/mt CFR. Sources pointed to the prices discussed around the Indian urea tender as a reason for softer amsul prices.
Rondonopolis pricing dropped on the lower end of its range, to $570-$620/mt FOB ex-warehouse.
Imports of amsul for the first four months of the year were reported at 1.6 million mt, up about 29% from the 1.3 million mt imported during the same period in 2021. China remained the dominant supplier to Brazil with 1.4 million mt.
April 2022 imports were pegged at 308,000 mt, dramatically up from the 87,000 mt imported in April 2021. China accounted for the lion’s share of the business, sending 286,000 mt to Brazil.