US Gulf:
NOLA potash barge prices remained under pressure, moving down to $390-$410/st FOB from the week-ago $395-$420/st FOB.
Eastern Cornbelt:
Potash pricing was pegged at $465-$480/st FOB regional warehouses, with the low confirmed at Cincinnati. Potash in the Great Lakes region was pegged at $495-$515/st FOB, depending on grade and location, with the low reported at Toledo, Ohio, for March-April tons.
Western Cornbelt:
The potash market slipped to $450-$475/st FOB in the Western Cornbelt, with the low at St. Louis and the high reported in the Iowa market.
Northern Plains:
Sources quoted potash pricing down to $460-$480/st FOB St. Paul for fill tons, with delivered fill offers reported at the $485/st level in North Dakota. The latest prices FOB Saskatchewan mines, based on current exchange rates, were reported at $486-$527/st, depending on grade and time of delivery.
Northeast:
The potash market was pegged at $475/st FOB Fairless Hills and $480/st FOB East Liverpool, while Baltimore pricing reportedly ranged from $470-$495/st FOB, with the upper end reflecting Nutrien’s posted fill level in mid-January. Delivered potash was quoted in the $490-$505/st range in the Northeast, depending on supplier.
Eastern Canada:
Potash fill pricing in Eastern Canada was quoted at C$740-$745/mt FOB regional warehouses, but sources said the order window closed in mid-January. New offers for 2Q delivery were reportedly up C$60/mt, to C$800/mt FOB.
China:
Potash imports totaled 8 million mt in 2022, Trade Data Monitor reported, up4% from the year-ago 7.7 million mt. Canada led suppliers with 2.5 million mt, Belarus added 1.9 million mt, and Russia sent 1.7 million mt.
Fourth-quarter and second-half 2022 purchases differed marginally from the same periods in 2021. Fourth-quarter 2022 imports were 1.8 million mt compared to the year-ago 1.6 million mt, while July-December imports were 3.9 million mt, down from 4.1 million mt during the last semester of 2021.
December imports were pegged at 644,000 mt, up from the prior-year 290,000 mt.
Brazil:
The price for imported potash remained steady at $500-$520/mt CFR, with only limited deals done to set the market.
The Rondonopolis range moved up to $615-$660/mt FOB ex-warehouse. Sources said that buyers are presenting aggressive bids to lower the upper end of the range.
Indonesia:
PT Pupuk Indonesia is expected to call a new tender for the purchase of standard potash, after failing to secure tons under its earlier 200,000-250,000 mt purchase tender (GM Jan. 13, p. 14).