Urea

U.S. Gulf: Prompt barges prices moved up last week, but again retreated. A broad range was once again reported, this week at $445-$465/st. The most recent trades were put around the $450/st FOB mark.

While an early fall application season is anticipated with good demand, the drought has thrown a monkey wrench into those plans. Low water levels may mean problems getting product upriver, and sources continue to worry over the continuation of the drought. “You cannot fertilize a concrete pad,” said one. Another noted that some 1 million st of urea is headed toward the U.S. over the next few months, as the NOLA market is currently the premium priced market for global urea. All of this could back up at the Gulf if barge problems persist and/or get worse.

May urea imports were up 29 percent, to 561,178 st from the year-ago 436,611 st, according to DOC. July-May imports, however, were about level with year-ago, at 6.36 million st versus 6.38 million mt.

Eastern Cornbelt: The granular urea market was quoted at $500-$515/st FOB in the Eastern Cornbelt.

Western Cornbelt: Most sources quoted the granular urea market at the $500/st FOB level or slightly less out of regional terminals last week. Many locations in the Western Cornbelt were out of product.

Agrium’s granular urea postings moved on July 20 to $550/st FOB Marion, S.D., and North Dakota warehouses at Alton, Carrington, Colfax, and Scranton; and $555/st DEL in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Dakotas. Those levels reflect a $25/st increase from Agrium’s July 13 urea postings in those locations.

California: Central Valley sources pegged the granular urea market at $580/st FOB, with some discounts available. Effective July 1, Agrium’s granular urea postings in California moved to $580/st FOB West Sacramento; $590/st FOB Hanford and Richvale; $615/st truck-DEL in Central California; $625/st truck-DEL in Northern California; and $635/st truck-DEL in desert areas of California.

Pacific Northwest: Sources quoted the granular urea market at $530-$540/st FOB in the region on the low end last week. Effective July 20, Agrium’s granular urea postings moved to $550-$560/st DEL in Montana and Wyoming, depending on location; $565/st FOB West Woodburn, Ore.; $570/st FOB Pella, Idaho, and Washington warehouses at Glade, Warden, Moses Lake, Plymouth, and Wilson; $575/st DEL in Washington, Idaho, northern Nevada, the Klamath Basin, and Oregon; $585/st DEL in northern and central Utah; and $590/st DEL in southern Utah. Those levels were up $25/st from Agrium’s July 13 postings at those same locations.

Western Canada: Granular urea pricing was pegged at $630-$635/mt DEL in Manitoba, $635-$640/mt DEL in Saskatchewan, and $640-$655/mt DEL in Alberta.

India: By the middle of last week, IPL settled deals that officially came to 1.19 million mt. Sources say that amount includes a +/- 10 percent range from many of the suppliers.

The last count put together from Green Market’s sources put the total take at 1.14 million mt. The tally is below.
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