U.S. Gulf:
The NOLA barge market continued to be generally quoted at the $300/st ($9.38/unit) FOB mark, although inland prices were reported to be up.
Eastern Cornbelt:
UAN-32 prices in the Eastern Cornbelt were moving up after back-to-back producer posting hikes amid reports of tight supply. The region’s low was reported at $332/st ($10.38/unit) FOB LaSalle, Ill., but CF’s reference prices at Mount Vernon, Ind., firmed $10/st at mid-month, to $335/st ($10.47/unit) FOB, followed by an additional $10/st increase on May 25, which took the price to $345/st ($10.78/unit) FOB.
Some sources talked of reference prices as high as $370/st ($11.56/unit) FOB Terra Haute, but that level was not confirmed. New offers at Cincinnati were quoted in the $347-$352/st ($10.84-$11.00/unit) FOB range late in the week, up from previous offers in the $332-$337/st ($10.38-$10.53/unit) FOB range. The UAN-28 market was pegged at $298-$307/st ($10.64-$10.96/unit) FOB Cincinnati.
“UAN is tight at terminals,” said one regional source. “The best availability is Cincinnati.”
Western Cornbelt:
With sidedress demand kicking in across the Western Cornbelt, CF’s reference prices for UAN-32 at St. Louis firmed $10/st at mid-month, to $335/st ($10.47/unit) FOB. That increase was followed by an additional $10/st hike on May 25, which pushed the St. Louis market to $345/st ($10.78/unit) FOB.
Sources continued to quote Port Neal pricing at $340/st ($10.63/unit) FOB at midweek. The upper end of the regional market was pegged at the $355/st ($11.09/unit) FOB level in Nebraska.
Northern Plains:
UAN-32 pricing was reported at $357-$365/st ($11.16-$11.41/unit) FOB Winona, Minn., in late May, with UAN-28 quoted at $355/st ($12.68/unit) FOB in central North Dakota.
Great Lakes:
UAN-28 prices ranged widely in the Great Lakes region, from a low of $295/st ($10.54/unit) FOB Courtright to a high of $335-$350/st ($11.96-$12.50/unit) FOB Michigan terminals, depending on location. Sources said they expect sidedress demand to move into high gear in early June.
Northeast:
The UAN-32 market in the Northeast remained at $325-$340/st ($10.16-$10.63/unit) FOB Baltimore, Md., and Fairless Hills for May-June tons. Pricing out of terminals in upstate New York was quoted at $375/st ($11.72/unit) FOB in late May, up $15/st from last report.