CF Industries Holdings Inc. reported a near four-fold increase in fourth-quarter net income attributable to common stockholders, to $200.3 million ($2.78 per diluted share) on sales of $1.24 billion, up from the year-ago $51.4 million ($1.04 per share) on sales of $506.7 million.

Full-year earnings were down, reflecting a $288.5 million business combination charge with respect to the acquisition of Terra Industries Inc. However, CF reports that it has already implemented synergy actions totaling $110 million on a run-rate basis and identified synergies to exceed the top end of the targeted synergy range. Full-year income was $349.2 million ($5.34 per share) on sales of $3.96 billion, compared to the year-ago $365.6 million ($7.42 per share) on sales of $2.61 billion.

“In the fourth quarter, we benefited from the increased capability of our expanded platform and a host of favorable external factors,” said CF Chairman and CEO Stephen Wilson. “Fall application of ammonia and phosphates was particularly strong because of increased expected crop plantings, higher application rates, high crop prices, an early harvest, and favorable weather in the U.S. Midwest.”

Fourth-quarter nitrogen gross margins were $420.6 million on sales of $1 billion, up from the year-ago $109.7 million on sales of $352 million. Tons sold moved up to 3.35 million st from the year-ago 1.47 million st. Much of the volume increase is attributed to the acquisition of Terra.

Full-year nitrogen gross profit was $1.03 billion on sales of $3.19 billion, up from the year-ago $784.2 million and sales of $1.84 billion. Tons sold moved up to 11.5 million st from 5.85 million st.

Fourth-quarter phosphate gross margins were $63.3 million on sales of $235 million, compared to the year-ago $16.4 million on sales of $154.7 million. Tons sold were down at 477,000 st from 551,000 st. The company said it focused on meeting domestic demand during the fourth quarter. Only 84,000 st of phosphates were exported in the fourth quarter, compared to the year-ago 274,000 st. The Plant City phosphate facility operated at 83 percent capacity during the quarter.

Full-year phosphate gross margins were $152.8 million on sales of $777.5 million, up from the year-ago $55.2 million on sales of $769.1 million. Tons sold were 1.87 million st, down from the prior year 2.2 million st.

Going forward, CF believes 92 million acres of corn will be planted in the U.S. this spring, and that about 10 million acres will be added to the farmed area, returning to 2008 levels. “We believe all the factors are in place to make 2011 a great year for CF Industries,” said Wilson. “In addition to a more complete realization of the extremely favorable fertilizer market conditions we are experiencing now, we will have the added benefit of a full year of acquisition synergies and operational integration of our expanded platform.”

Yara International ASA reported record results in 2010, even exceeding the previous record in 2008. The company said deliveries rebounded quickly from 2009 in the agricultural business as demand continued to grow robustly even through the global economic crisis.

Net income after non-controlling interests was NOK 8,729 million (US$1.58 billion) on sales of NOK 65,374 million ($11.4 billion) for 2010, up from 2009’s NOK 3,782 million ($685.4 million) on sales of NOK 61,418 million ($11.13 billion). Earnings per share were NOK 30.24 ($5.51) versus the year-ago NOK 13.08 ($2.38).

Fourth-quarter income was NOK 1,564 million ($283.4 million) on sales of NOK 17,535 million ($3.18 billion), up from the year-ago NOK 1,424 million ($258.1 million) on sales of NOK 13,791 million ($2.5 billion). EPS was NOK 5.42 ($0.99) versus the year-ago NOK 4.93 ($0.90).

Yara said fourth-quarter nitrogen fertilizer deliveries in Western Europe were up 13 percent, and up an estimated 34 percent in the U.S. Yara noted that it deferred about 200,000 mt of sales in the fourth quarter to first quarter 2011 in order to take advantage of rising prices. It reported significant nitrate price increases in January, with good deliveries. Yara noted that urea prices were not negatively affected despite 3.3 million mt in urea exports by China in the fourth quarter, compared to the year-ago 1.5 million mt of Chinese exports.

Fourth-quarter realized prices were up 46 percent for nitrates, 26 percent for urea, and 17 percent for NPKs versus the year-ago quarter. NPK had significantly higher margins due to lower potash prices.

Yara’s fourth-quarter results were charged with an NOK 165 million ($29.9 million) write-down related to the balance sheet items in Burrup Fertilisers Pty Ltd. (BFL) following the findings in the ongoing Yara-initiated investigations of financial irregularities in the company. Absent the write-down, Yara said there would have been an NOK 53 million ($9.6 million) profit from Burrup. The remaining asset value for Yara’s stake in BFL is NOK 1,676 million ($303.7 million).

Yara said Burrup is running normally, and that it expects the receiver of the majority owners’ 65 percent stake to hold an auction in three or four months. Based on its current 35 percent stake in Burrup, and other agreements such as its long-term ammonia offtake agreement, Yara appears confident it can increase its stake in the company at an auction.

Yara said it gained NOK 38 million in the fourth quarter from the sale of its 20 percent stake in the Vietnamese port of Baria Serece. Also in the quarter, it completed the sale of its fertilizer retail business in South Africa, with little impact on consolidated income as agreed sales prices were mainly equal to carrying amounts. Yara will continue to sell fertilizer delivered to the harbor in the country.

Going forward, Yara said it plans to run all fertilizer plants at full capacity. Its Ambes nitrate plant in France has been down for an extended turnaround since September and is expected to come back up in March. Yara will be adding production capacity in 2011, with a urea expansion at Sluiskil that is expected onstream in June. Qafco 5 ammonia and urea production is due to start up in the fourth quarter.

Yara said higher fertilizer prices are offsetting stronger gas prices, which are expected to increase in first-half 2011 by NOK 1.45 billion above year-ago levels.

Agrium Inc. isn’t making any decisions right away about rebuilding its Hartsville, S.C., Rainbow fertilizer plant that was struck by a devastating fire last Monday afternoon (Feb. 14). The flames destroyed an 80-year-old wooden warehouse and damaged other buildings, burning so fiercely and producing such heavy smoke that it caused the evacuation of nearby homes and closure for several hours of most of the roads in this community of approximately 8,000.

Agrium officials reported there were about 19,000 st of dry finished fertilizer product, plus some raw materials stored in the warehouse at the time, and believe that damage to the rest of the plant is mostly smoke related. They said any determination on the cost of the loss would have to wait until the investigation is complete.

The facility and product were insured, and as a result there is expected to be no material financial impact on Agrium. The incident resulted in the temporary shutdown of the facility.

At the peak, there were well over 200 firefighters from 20 departments on scene, and there was still a crew at the site as late as last Thursday. The Hartsville Fire Department used the South Carolina mobilization system to bring in firefighting support from adjoining counties and communities. On Thursday, there was a report of a flare-up in the fire, but that could not immediately be confirmed. Local officials expected the scene would be turned over to the owners before the end of the week.

One family living nearby reportedly lost their home to the spreading flames and had to seek help at a Red Cross shelter.

Agrium said it was sorry for the impact this incident has had on the neighbors of the facility and the Hartsville community.

The Pee Dee chapter of the American Red Cross provided meals and drinks to the firefighters and also opened an emergency shelter in a Hartsville sports center for those who evacuated their homes. “We had approximately 70 people come in for emergency sheltering and had them there through the night and into the next morning when it was determined to be safe,” spokesperson Linda Boone-Smith reported.

Agrium said there were only eight of the 54 employees on the site when the fire broke out at around 6:45 p.m. Spokeswoman Stacey Doolan said officials at the Calgary, Alberta, headquarters weren’t thinking about rebuilding this soon, but “are focusing on the fire itself and how to make it safe and secure while cooperating with officials on the investigation.” She said those in the warehouse were safely evacuated at the time and there were no injuries. These employees told investigators they believed the fire started in the break room, but the Hartsville Fire Department said that was still to be determined. The State Health Department also had monitors on the scene to check on the smoke situation.

Agrium spokesman Paul Poister, on the scene from the Denver offices, said company representatives will get a chance to assess the damage as soon as the fire department turns over control of the site. “They were still there into Thursday making sure there are no hot spots,” Poister reported. He said the warehouse structure, the largest of 19 buildings, is a total loss as far as he could determine, and Agrium will be assessing damage to other buildings as soon as it gets clearance.

Poister said Agrium “could not be more thankful to the first responders at Hartsville and all the elected officials at all levels of government the city, county, and state, plus the federal officials who pitched in.” He said Hartsville is one of three Agrium plants in the southeast that produces the Rainbow brand of agriculture fertilizers. While production is halted at Hartsville, he indicated, customers will be supplied from the two other plants at Americus, Ga., and Florence, Ala.

Agrium acquired the site as part of its purchase of Royster-Clark.

The strike that shut down operations at Dead Sea Works (DSW) has ended, and production resumed February17 at the company’s plant in Sdom at the Dead Sea. Israeli industry sources estimated that the strike cost the parent company, Israel Chemicals Ltd. (ICL), some $110 million, as all shipments ceased in early January.

The end of one of the longest industrial strikes in Israel some 44 days followed the intervention of the chairman of the powerful Histadrut Labor Federation, Ofer Eini. He held talks with senior management officials from ICL, along with DSW union members.

Management agreed to a new wage agreement that is expected to cost the company $55 million over five years. The agreement also contains a commitment by the union to refrain from any labor disputes or sanctions. However, industry analysts said that the agreement could lead to demands by workers at other ICL subsidiaries in the months to come.

The strike also forced the closure of Haifa Chemicals’ two plants at Haifa and Ramat Hovav. DSW is Haifa’s sole provider of potash for use in the production of potassium nitrate. DSW supplies Haifa with 350,000 mt of potash a year; the company received its last shipment in mid-January.

The end of the strike came only days after DSW announced a major supply agreement with China. ICL Fertilizers said it will supply 500,000 mt of potash in the first half of 2011 to Chinese customers. A report issued by Psagot Investment House Ltd. predicted sales of 790,000 mt to China in 2011. The report by the Tel Aviv-based investment bank said that based on the agreement for the first half, quantities could surpass that level.

John Kreizman, Clal Finance chemical and pharmaceutical analyst, noted that DSW would not have any difficulty supplying the Chinese customers as it has an inventory of 1.8 million mt. Unlike most potash producers, DSW has the capacity to store large quantities of material at Sdom due to the climatic conditions. He noted that the latest agreement underscores the growing importance going forward of the Chinese market for ICL. Regarding the strike, he estimates that potash production in the first quarter in Israel will be down by 200-300,000 mt, and that the company will attempt to offset the loss by increasing production at Sdom as well as in Spain and the U.K.

DSW noted that the price was in line with recent deals signed by other producers and is approximately $50/mt higher than 2010 prices, putting it at around $400/mt.

January marked the completion of the first two-year mandatory audit cycle of the Canadian fertilizer industry’s Ammonia Code of Practice, which was launched in 2008 to provide uniform standards for the handling and storage of anhydrous ammonia at agri-retail facilities in Canada (GM Aug. 18, 2008).

The Canadian Fertilizer Institute’s (CFI) Fertilizer Safety and Security Council (FSSC), which developed the code in partnership with the Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers (CAAR), the Ontario Agri-Business Association, and the Québec Professional Association in Crop Nutrients, reported that more than 85 percent of agri-retail sites in Canada are now in compliance with the code.

“The safety and security of Canadians is a priority to us and we want our products to be handled and used safely and securely in communities across the country,” said Dave Finlayson, FSSC executive director. “The Code of Practice is the first initiative of its kind for ammonia, setting a new global benchmark for fertilizer stewardship. Agri-retailers should be very proud to be leading the way in world safety standards for anhydrous ammonia.”

Under the code, retailers must meet stringent requirements for emergency prevention, preparedness, and response, and they must review these provisions with local emergency responders every year. In order to continue receiving product from CFI member companies, all anhydrous ammonia agri-retail sites in Canada need to pass an audit every two years that ensures compliance with the code. As a condition of membership, all manufacturers, distributors, and retailers must also be in compliance.

FSSC enlisted input from fertilizer manufacturers, distributors, agri-retailers, government agencies, and the first-responder community in developing the code, with public and worker safety and security as top priorities. FSSC said that while existing regulations, safety programs, and training have greatly reduced the number and severity of accidents involving anhydrous ammonia, the code was developed to further reduce this risk.

“We’re encouraged to see the fertilizer industry going beyond what is simply required by law,” said Don Warden, executive director of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs. “The Ammonia Code will help first responders work hand-in-hand with agri-retailers in protecting our communities.”

Voluntary training audits under the code began in 2007 and ended Dec. 31. 2008. The first two-year auditing cycle began Jan. 1, 2009, with all anhydrous ammonia retail sites required to pass an audit and be fully compliant with the code by the end of 2010. Effective Jan. 1, 2011, CFI’s no-ship policy went into effect, which states that Canadian manufacturers and distributors will supply ammonia only to agri-retailers who have successfully completed an audit in the previous two years.

“Over the past two years, agri-retailers have been diligently preparing their operations to comply with the Ammonia Code of Practice,” said Dave MacKay, president and CEO of CAAR. “Although no small undertaking, the entire sector has proudly established a new benchmark in safety that will serve to protect our employees, customers, and communities.”

According to FSSC, the code is intended to apply to the following segments of the ammonia industry: road transportation; rail transportation; storage and handling operations, including fixed and temporary facilities; associated facilities such as equipment storage areas; and on-farm end use, though on a voluntary basis. The code is not intended to apply to manufacturing, repair shops, industrial end use, or refrigeration.

The code also specifies a resolution process for those facilities not in compliance. For the first offense, a facility is given a prescribed number of days to undertake and complete corrective actions; otherwise certification is withdrawn, and manufacturers/distributors ar