February pricing for phos acid was quoted at $12.25/unit rail-DEL in California, up $0.25/unit from January, with MGA reference pricing in California strengthening to $12.45/unit FOB Lathrop.

Pacific Northwest:

Phos acid strengthened to $12.25/unit rail-DEL in the Pacific Northwest, up $0.25/unit from January. Postings at Pocatello, Idaho, firmed on Feb. 1 to $11.75/unit FOB, up from $11.50/unit in January.

Ammonium Polyphosphate

February 9, 2024Ammonium Polyphosphate, California, Eastern Cornbelt, Market Watch, Pacific N.W., Western Canada, Western Cornbelthlancey@bloomberg.net

Eastern Cornbelt:

The 10-34-0 market was unchanged at $525-$545/st FOB in the Eastern Cornbelt, with the low for prompt tons and the high for prepay.

Western Cornbelt:

10-34-0 was steady at $520-$550/st FOB in the Western Cornbelt, depending on location and time of shipment, with the high in Iowa.

California:

10-34-0 pricing in California firmed to $578-$583/st FOB on Feb. 1. The latest 11-37-0 offers were reported at $630-$635/st FOB, up $10/st from last report.

Pacific Northwest:

The 10-34-0 market moved to $565/st FOB in the Pacific Northwest on Feb. 1, up $10/st from January. 11-37-0 pricing was also up $10/st, to $620/st FOB and $610/st DEL in Idaho and Utah.

Western Canada:

10-34-0 prices were up in Western Canada, to C$940-$955/mt DEL from the prior C$905-$925/mt DEL range.

Muriate of Potash

February 9, 2024Brazil, California, Eastern Cornbelt, Market Watch, Pacific N.W., Potash Muriate, Southeast Asia, U.S. Gulf, Western Canada, Western Cornbelthlancey@bloomberg.net

US Gulf:

The NOLA potash market slipped to $310-$320/st FOB, down from last week’s $315-$320/st FOB range, with the low confirmed for new sales for February loading.

Eastern Cornbelt:

Potash was quoted at $370-$395/st FOB in the Eastern Cornbelt, depending on location, grade, and time of shipment, with the low reported at Illinois River terminals and the high out of inland warehouses in Ohio. The Cincinnati market remained at the $375-$380/st FOB level for prompt tons.

In the Great Lakes region, recent potash offers in Michigan included $415-$420/st DEL and $415-$423/st FOB, with the low for red tons and the high for white.

Western Cornbelt:

Potash was steady at $365-$385/st FOB in the Western Cornbelt, with the low confirmed at St. Louis.

California:

Potash remained at $518-$548/st FOB or DEL in California for the last offers, with the low for 1Q tons and the high for 2Q shipments.

Pacific Northwest:

Potash pricing in the Pacific Northwest increased to $495-$503/st FOB or DEL for post-fill offers, with the high reflecting reference pricing for 62% MOP and the low for 60%. Those levels were up $30/st from the mid-January fill prices.

The last potash postings from Intrepid FOB Moab and Wendover, Utah, included $435/st FOB for 60% white standard and $440/st for 60% white granular.

Western Canada:

Truck pricing for potash in Western Canada was pegged solidly at the C$580-$585/mt level FOB Saskatchewan mines in early February, depending on grade, up from C$540-$545/mt FOB for earlier 1Q fill offers.

Southeast Asia:

Standard potash offers were reported as high as $320/mt CFR in Vietnam, but no new business was confirmed at that level. Lower indications were heard in Malaysia in the $280-$290/mt CFR range, leaving the current range at $290-$310/mt CFR. Granular potash was reported at $345-$355/mt CFR, though no new deals could be confirmed.

Brazil:

Brazil potash slipped to $280-$300/mt CFR, off from $285-$300/mt CFR. Domestic discounts continued to track below CFR replacement costs, players said. While some suppliers tested week-over-week increases of $10/mt, others continued to aggressively hunt for business.

Prices fell slightly in Rondonópolis, to $400-$415/mt FOB ex-warehouse from last week’s $405-$415/mt FOB. Following reports of high-volume sales in recent days, several companies have started to roll back discounts. Others continue to compete for buyers, however, offering concessions that take prices as low as $380-$390/mt FOB.

Potash imports totaled 852,000 mt in January, Trade Data Monitor reported, a 63% increase on the year-ago 523,000 mt. The amount represented Brazil’s largest January potash import total in the past five years.

Sulfur

February 9, 2024ADNOC - Abu Dhabi, Alberta, Brazil, China, Market Watch, Qatar, Sulfur, Tampa, U.S. Gulf, Vancouver, West Coasthlancey@bloomberg.net

Tampa:

The first-quarter contract price of molten sulfur delivered to Tampa was $69/lt CFR, a $33/lt decline from $102/lt CFR in the fourth quarter.

US Gulf:

The US Gulf market sulfur firmed to $65-$70/mt FOB, up $5/mt from the week-ago $60-$65/mt FOB, with multiple trades reported.

Brazil:

Brazil import prices were noted at $91-$95/mt CFR, unchanged from the prior week.

Vancouver:

Vancouver exports followed the China market higher, to $65-$68/mt FOB from $62-$66/mt FOB at last report.

Alberta:

Alberta sulfur netbacks continued at (-)$46-(-)$1/mt FOB. The range included molten sulfur cargoes contracted into the US market and solid tons shipped internationally through the Vancouver export market.

West Coast:

On par with Vancouver, solid sulfur loading from the West Coast edged up to $65-$68/mt FOB. Molten sulfur contracts were valued at $50-$55/lt FOB for first-quarter loading, off from $85-$90/lt FOB in the prior quarter.

China:

China import sulfur prices firmed heading into the country’s Lunar New Year holiday, to $94-$95/mt CFR from $90-$95/mt CFR at last report.

ADNOC:

Sulfur produced by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) was reported at $77/mt FOB Ruwais for January loading, down 11.5% from $87/mt FOB in December.

Qatar:

January Muntajat offers were posted at $74/mt FOB Ras Laffan, 12.9% below the $85/mt FOB offered in December.

Sulfuric Acid

February 9, 2024Brazil, Market Watch, Sulfuric Acid, U.S. Gulfhlancey@bloomberg.net

US Gulf:

US Gulf sulfuric acid imports slid to $95-$105/mt CFR, falling $5-$10/mt from last week’s $105-$110/mt CFR range.

Brazil:

Brazil imports moved higher for the week, to $120-$125/mt CFR from $118-$120/mt CFR. TMAC was reported purchasing a cargo for March delivery at a time when OCP was also active in the market, registering both a price increase at Brazil and a premium against a recent $110/mt CFR deal reported on a Bunge purchase into Argentina.

Ammonium Thiosulfate

February 9, 2024Amthio, California, Eastern Cornbelt, Market Watch, Pacific N.W., Western Canada, Western Cornbelthlancey@bloomberg.net

Eastern Cornbelt:

The ammonium thiosulfate market tightened to $265-$270/st FOB in the Eastern Cornbelt, with the low confirmed at Cincinnati and the high at Terre Haute, Ind.

Western Cornbelt:

Ammonium thiosulfate firmed to a solid $260/st FOB for the latest offers in the Western Cornbelt.

California:

Ammonium thiosulfate pricing was unchanged at $340/st FOB in California.

Pacific Northwest:

The ammonium thiosulfate market remained at $305-$315/st FOB in the Pacific Northwest.

Western Canada:

The latest ammonium thiosulfate offers were steady at the C$435/mt DEL level in Saskatchewan.

CAN

February 9, 2024California, CAN-17, Germany, Market Watch, Pacific N.W.hlancey@bloomberg.net

California:

CAN-17 in California was quoted at a flat $330/st FOB Stockton and Helm in early February.

Pacific Northwest:

The CAN-17 market was unchanged at $345/st FOB Kennewick, Wash.

Germany:

No CAN sales were reported this week despite improving weather, though indications were heard at €280-$285/mt CIF. Key producers are reportedly testing the market with incrementally higher offers, but any significant buying may have to wait until fields dry following the recent cold, wet spell in Northwest Europe.

CAN demand is expected to be robust after application levels took a hit in 2022/23 due to reduced affordability during the energy crisis and many farmers switched to inhibited urea.