All posts by mickeybarb@charter.net

Ammonium Thiosulfate

Amthio, Eastern Cornbelt, Market Watch, South Central, Southern Plains, Specialty, Western Cornbelt

Eastern Cornbelt:

Ammonium thiosulfate prices were also slumping, with the latest Cincinnati offers reported at $400/st FOB for prompt and $420/st FOB for spring. The last pricing FOB Terre Haute, Ind., was quoted at the $420/st level as well.

“ATS has sagged as we are in the winter lull, with a decent spread between spot and spring ship,” commented one source.

Western Cornbelt:

The ammonium thiosulfate market was unchanged at $390-$400/st FOB in the Western Cornbelt in early February.

Southern Plains:

Ammonium thiosulfate prices were slumping in the Southern Plains. New prompt pricing dropped to $300/st FOB Houston and Lubbock, Texas, down from the previous $350-$400/st FOB range.

South Central:

Ammonium thiosulfate at Memphis was pegged in the $405-$410/st FOB range in early February.

SOP Magnesia

Market Watch, Southeast, Southern Plains, Specialty, Sulfate of Potash Magnesia

Southern Plains:

Intrepid’s fill prices for Trio FOB Carlsbad, N.M., included $360/st for standard, $395/st for granular, $405/st for premium, $410/st for OMRI standard and fine standard, and $445/st for OMRI granular. Orders were valid until the end of January for 1Q shipping. Tons booked after the order period were slated to jump $20/st.

Southeast:

SOP Magnesia was reportedly being offered as low as $450/st rail-DEL in the Carolinas for new business.

Crops/Weather

Crops/Weather, Eastern Cornbelt, Market Watch, South Central, Southeast, Southern Plains, Western Cornbelt

Eastern Cornbelt:

US Drought Monitor

Much colder weather and scattered snowfall was reported across the Eastern Cornbelt during the first days of February. The week began with freezing rain in central Illinois, but subzero wind chills were expected across central and northern Indiana by the end of the week.

Snowfall was reported in parts of northern Ohio late on Feb. 2, with temperatures dropping to the low teens on Feb. 3. The precipitation and cold weather were part of a system moving in from Michigan, where bands of snow and lows in the teens and single digits dominated early February weather conditions.

Western Cornbelt:

Frigid temperatures were reported across northern Iowa late in the week, with wind chills dropping to the negative 20s and 30s in some locations. Mason City was expecting the coldest wind chill at -31 late on Feb. 2, but a warmup was on tap for the weekend, with a high of 41 expected in Des Moines by Feb. 4.

Highs in the mid-20s to mid-30s were reported across Nebraska at midweek, with lows falling to the single digits and teens.

Parts of Missouri were in the path of the powerful ice storm that churned through the southern regions during the week. Up to a tenth of an inch of ice coated St. Louis and Springfield at midweek, while parts of southern Missouri picked up an inch of snow and sleet

Corn Wheat Soybean Index

Southern Plains:

A powerful winter storm brought snow, sleet, freezing rain, and frigid temperatures to a wide swath of the Southern Plains at midweek. The system left 425,000 homes and businesses in Texas without power on Feb. 1-2, with real temperatures dropping to 28 degrees in Dallas and down to the single digits in parts of Kansas.

Parts of Oklahoma and New Mexico were also hit with sleet and freezing rain during the week, though highs in the 40s and 50s were expected in Oklahoma and eastern Kansas by the coming weekend.

“We are frozen up in the fields today, but that will thaw over the weekend,” said one Kansas contact at midweek. “But then it will be mud, with good moisture between rains and snow. We’re not out of a drought yet, but things look pretty good considering.”

“It’s very wet here, almost no fieldwork going on as of a week ago,” added a Texas source. “We will need a week of sunshine and a north wind to get back going. We’re delivering seed, as the first corn will go in the ground historically by the 14th and then be in full swing by the end of the month.”

South Central:

A four-day ice storm crippled large areas of the South Central region during the week, with Arkansas taking the biggest hit. While northern Arkansas experienced mostly sleet from the powerful system, ice totals across central and southern Arkansas ranged from a quarter- to a half-inch.

Winter weather advisories and ice storm warnings were also in effect for many counties in Tennessee, Kentucky, northern Louisiana, and Mississippi at midweek. As of midday Feb. 2, there were approximately 75,000 residents and businesses without power in Arkansas, compared with 24,000 in Mississippi and just over 20,000 in Tennessee.

Southeast:

The powerful ice storm that hammered the Southern Plains and South Central region also brought heavy rain and cold temperatures to the Southeast. The heaviest rain was reported in Alabama and northern Georgia, where 1-2 inches fell on Feb. 1-2.

Sources reported steady rainfall in the Carolinas at midweek as well. “We are wet, no activity, just rain in the forecast,” commented one source at midweek. Another source said lime was moving to the field prior to the precipitation, but activity was stalled in early February.

In Florida, by contrast, highs reached the 80s across central and southern portions of the state in early February.

Transportation

Arkansas River, Illinois River, Market Watch, Mississippi RIver, Ohio River, Transportation, U.S. Gulf

US Gulf:

Calcasieu Lock shut to daytime navigation on Jan. 30, blocking weekday traffic from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and triggering delays up to 32 hours. The project is scheduled to continue through March 3.

Work is slated to kick off on Feb. 6 at Bayou Boeuf Lock, closing the lock to daytime navigation on Monday through Thursday through Feb. 16. Lock operators will intermittently open the lock during working hours, sources said, with 6-12 hour delays expected.

Weekday travel continued to be blocked intermittently at Bayou Sorrel Lock due to guidewall replacement, triggering wait times in a reported 5-22 hour range on Jan. 29-31. The project was anticipated to continue into March 2023.

Colorado Lock repairs, responsible for daily travel slowdowns between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., were scheduled to end on Jan. 27. Lingering delays were noted at 4-17 hours on Jan. 30-Feb. 1.

Monday-through-Friday maintenance shutdowns at Brazos Lock blocked navigation between 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., resulting in 7-29 hour delays. The project is scheduled to run through Feb. 8.

Port Allen Lock waits were clocked up to 53 hours during the week, while Industrial Lock travel was delayed up 35.5 hours. Corps data showed Algiers Lock wait times in a wide 4-18 hour range on Jan. 31-Feb. 1. Periods of thick fog were heard to trigger 24-36 hour transit holds throughout the Gulf.

Mississippi River:

Rising waters were reported on the lower Mississippi River, while a decline in levels on the upper river prompted tightening travel restrictions.

A return to negative depth readings at the St. Louis river gauge led to the reinstitution of 10-foot maximum drafts on dry barges running southbound between St. Louis and Cairo, sources said, one week after drafts were raised to 18 feet due to improving conditions.

The St. Louis gauge was posted a (-)2.64 feet and rising slowly on Feb. 1. Forecasts predicted a (-)1.0-foot reading on Feb. 14.

The main chambers at Mel Price Lock and Chain of Rocks Lock are closed through March 31 and March 17, respectively, for maintenance and repairs, necessitating detours through the sites’ auxiliary chambers. Delays were noted up to 62 hours at Mel Price, while 64-hour waits were reported at Chain of Rocks.

Upper river locks currently closed for the winter navigations season are tentatively set to reopen for spring transit between Feb. 26 and March 31, starting with Locks 24 and 25. Freight operators are expected to begin releasing NOLA barges destined for upper-river locations as far north as Clinton, Iowa, in the second week of February, while tows bound for docks above Clinton could begin releasing in the fourth week of February.

Illinois River:

Falling temperatures and reports of new ice formation triggered a return to mandatory ice coupling usage at Dresden Island Lock and below, sources said. Ice was reported forming as far south as Peoria Lock, where an assist boat was necessary for all lockages due to haulage system repairs. Shippers reported slowdowns throughout the waterway due to the adverse conditions.

Wickets continued in the raised position at both Peoria Lock and LaGrange Lock, necessitating lockages through both locations. Marseilles Lock waits were posted in a 3-11 hour range, and Starved Rock Lock travels were clocked up to 10 hours during the week. LaGrange and Peoria Lock wait times were quoted up to nine hours each.

Ohio River:

Auxiliary chamber closures were planned at Bellville Lock and Racine Lock between Jan. 30 and Feb. 26, followed by a main chamber shutdown at Racine Lock from Feb. 26 to March 12.

JT Meyers Lock is scheduled for a number of intermittent main chamber shutdowns between Jan. 30 and Aug. 20 due to floating mooring repairs. The Dashields Lock primary chamber will shut for 48 hours on Feb. 16-18, while Hannibal Lock, located at Mile 126, is due to close its main chamber Feb. 20 through April 7.

Greenup Lock will shut its primary chamber for maintenance and repairs March 12 through April 12, while the Melville Lock auxiliary chamber will go offline for repairs April 17 through Aug. 4.

Intermittent delays at the Tennessee River’s Kentucky Lock were observed in a 6-18 hour range through the week. Wilson Lock waits were counted at a wide 8-35 hours.

Arkansas River:

Norrell Lock was closed to navigation on Jan. 30-31.

ATOME Energy Forms JV to Develop Central American, Caribbean Green Ammonia Projects

Caribbean, Central America, Featured, Green Ammonia, News, United Kingdom

ATOME Energy, Leeds, UK, on Feb. 2 announced a new joint venture to develop green ammonia and fertilizer projects with the focus on Central America and the Caribbean. The jv, National Ammonia Corp. SA (NAC), will be based in San Jose, Costa Rica, and will be jointly owned by ATOME and Cavendish, the renewable energy arm of Grupo Purdy SA, one of Costa Rica’s largest companies.

Cavendish is an early mover in Costa Rica’s green hydrogen market, and its goals are said to be complimentary of those of ATOME, which is focused on countries with renewable power resources and capabilities combined with access to both domestic and international end markets.

ATOME said Costa Rica’s favorable position, with ports on both the Atlantic and Pacific only separated by some 200 kilometers of land bridge, make the country a logistically excellent location.

Using NAC, ATOME plans to capitalize on the roll-out of its large scale hydrogen and ammonia production model now being implemented in Paraguay (GM Dec. 3, 2022). ATOME’s flagship project in Villeta, Paraguay, is expected to produce 100,000 mt/y of green ammonia. It expects the 120MW project will be the largest dedicated green ammonia facility in Latin America by the time it is operational in 2025.

ATOME said material and constructive discussions are already taking place with relevant stakeholders in the areas of focus for NAC.

Sumitomo to Halt Chemical Fertilizer Production at Ehime Plant

Featured, Japan, News

Sumitomo Chemical has decided to suspend its chemical fertilizer manufacturing facility at its Ehime Plant, in Niihama City, Ehime Prefecture, by the end of September 2024.

“In the fertilizer business, we have begun reviewing the product lineup with the aim of structural transformation to ensure business continuity,” the company said in a statement. “In this context, we have decided to suspend production of chemical fertilizers, which we have decided to suspend because we have judged that it will be difficult to secure stable profits over the medium- to long-term due to aging manufacturing facilities and increased renewal costs, although we have been striving to rationalize costs in response to the mature domestic market environment and the severe business environment such as the recent rise in raw material prices. We will continue to manufacture coated fertilizers, liquid fertilizers, ammonium sulfate, and nitrate at the Ehime Plant.”

Sumitomo is in the midst of a green transformation, planning to halve its emissions by 2030 and be carbon neutral by 2050. It noted that its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets were certified by the Science Based Targets (SBT) initiative in October 2018, and it was the world’s first diversified chemical company to receive the certification.

The company said it will continue to contribute to safe and secure agriculture by developing and providing functional liquid fertilizers, including degradable coated fertilizer technology and biostimulants. In that regard, the company has announced the purchase of US-based FBSciences Holdings Inc. (see Related Story).

Sumitomo is actively pursuing its own international clean ammonia production (see Related Story), but in December 2021, agreed to study the possibility of using Yara’s clean ammonia as a raw material for petrochemical products, as well as utilizing it as a source of clean energy at the company’s production sites as part of its fuel conversion efforts.

It also said it would explore collaborative projects with Yara, including stocking Yara’s clean ammonia at storage facilities at Ehime Works, which it said is one of the largest of its kind in the country.

Also in December 2021, Sumitomo, along with three other Japanese chemical companies – Ube Industries, Mitsui Chemicals, and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical – agreed to launch a joint study into securing a stable supply of clean ammonia.

Sumitomo Takes Step Toward Full-Scale Entry into Biostimulant Field, Acquires FBSciences

Japan, News, News Briefs

Sumitomo Chemical said on Jan. 31 that it has decided to acquire FBSciences Holdings Inc., Collierville, Tenn., a US company engaged in the business of biostimulants, a group of naturally-derived agricultural materials and a class of biorationals. Sumitomo is making the acquisition via its US-based subsidiary Valent BioSciences LLC, Libertyville, Ill.

Sumitomo said it regards this acquisition as a step toward full-scale entry into the biostimulant field. It said it will strive to further expand its biorational business by combining its global footprint and resources with FBS’s product portfolio and technological know-how, while also seeking to create new synergies between biorationals and conventional crop protection products.

“The acquisition of FBSciences is a natural next step in the evolution of our organization as a global leader in biorationals, including biostimulants,” said Ted Melnik, President and CEO of Valent BioSciences. “Our combined organizations have many decades of experience leading our respective markets with science-based technology and innovation.

“The wide range of biostimulant, biopesticide, and crop nutrition products and technologies in the FBSciences portfolio augments Valent BioSciences’ broad family of biorational products, thereby creating an unmatched range of value-added and sustainable solutions that no other company can provide,” he added.

Valent began selling biostimulant products directly to its US customer base in October 2022.

FBS develops, manufactures, and markets biostimulants and biopesticides made from natural organic matter sourced and processed with its proprietary methods. It said its products and technologies are applicable to more than 50 different crops as proven with extensive field trial data, and with over a decade of commercial success, the company has been rapidly growing its business in recent years, particularly in the US.

The FBS flagship biostimulant technology, FBS Transit®, forms the foundation of its crop nutrition and nutrient use efficiency product lines for use on all crops. It works inside the plant to increase the uptake and translocation of all nutrients, leading to healthier plants that can withstand stress, which results in increased yields and quality.

FBSciences’ biopesticide technology, FBS Defense™, works within the plant to increase its ability to defend itself from biotic stresses, including insects and diseases, and increases harvestable yields.

Sumitomo defines microbial pesticides, plant growth regulators, and rhizosphere microbial products derived from natural sources, as well as solutions using these products to protect crops from pests and enhance crop quality and yield, as biorationals.

Sumitomo said biorationals have a global market value at about $10 billion, about one-tenth that of agricultural chemicals, with expectations to see continued demand growth as the need for crop protection products with lower environmental impact increases among growers and consumers. Sumitomo sees biostimulants as the largest segment of biorationals and values that market at $3.5 billion, with it growing at double-digit rates.

Sumitomo noted that it has been exploring the potential of biorationals for some time, having acquired the biorationals business of US-based Abbott Laboratories Inc. in 2000. Since then, it has continued to strengthen and expand the business, with its US subsidiary Valent at the core of the effort.

In recent years, it has accelerated strategic measures to enhance its operations in this area, including building a production plant for active ingredients for microbial crop protection products in the US in 2014, acquiring a US rhizosphere microbials business in 2015, opening a biorational research center in 2018, and launching dedicated biorationals sales organizations at the company’s major overseas locations in 2020.