U.S. Gulf: Most were calling the NOLA UAN market $270-$280/st FOB ($8.44-$8.75/unit), though some were speculating prices might even be lower if you calculated new delivered business back to NOLA.
Correction: The UAN U.S. Gulf NOLA barge price in short tons for the Green Markets issue dated Dec. 19, 2011, was $295-$300/st FOB as was reported in the text on page 7. The short ton price on the price scan on page 4 was incorrect and should be changed to reflect $295-$300/st FOB.
Eastern Cornbelt: Trying to pin down the terminal market for UAN was a difficult task as the year came to a close, but spot levels were continuing to erode, according to sources. “We’re still waiting for the markets to be established,” said one contact. “Every time, you hear something a little different.”
UAN-28 pricing out of the Cincinnati market had reportedly fallen to $294-$305/st ($10.50-$10.89/unit) in late December. One Illinois contact said prepay offers for UAN-32 were reportedly circulating for as low as $325/st ($10.16/unit) FOB from one supplier the week before Christmas, but those deals were limited and were apparently off the table last week. He tagged the UAN-32 market at the $355/st ($11.09/unit) FOB level, and another Illinois source quoted a $360/st ($11.25/unit) FOB prompt market for UAN-32 last week.
Western Cornbelt: The UAN-32 market was pegged at $355-$380/st ($11.09-$11.88/unit) FOB Western Cornbelt terminals, down some $15-$20/st from mid-December pricing levels. Iowa sources quoted the low end for limited prepay offers, while the upper end of the range reflected new reference levels for prompt tons out of spot Missouri terminals.
California: UAN postings were unchanged from last report in the California market, but sources said offers were in the $380-$390/st FOB ($11.88-$12.19/unit) range in late December. “Quotes are all over the place from brokers, with nobody really purchasing product yet,” said one source. No rail-delivered UAN pricing quotes were confirmed last week.
Pacific Northwest: UAN-32 pricing had reportedly slipped to $395-$405/st ($12.34-$12.66/unit) DEL in the Pacific Northwest. Those numbers were down some $25-$30/st from pricing levels reported in early December.
Western Canada: The UAN-28 market was steady at $417-$432/mt ($14.89-$15.43/unit) DEL in Western Canada, with the low reported in Manitoba and the upper end in the Alberta market.