Chinese urea exports pick up during Q3: Competitive offers into India still shaping international urea values

The latest customs data from China has revealed that urea shipments are now starting to grow. Although the export controls that were introduced by the government in mid-October 2021 had previously reduced export business to negligible levels, the data has shown that urea exports during the third quarter are now at the highest levels seen…

Global ammonia prices under downward pressure as surplus spot cargoes dent producers’ price targets

The international ammonia market is far longer than in previous weeks as overcapacity in the Americas, Middle East and Southeast Asia emerges fast and generates negative price pressure in key import regions. Many participants remain reluctant to divulge prices or price targets, but bearish sentiment is clearly the dominant position given the amount of spot…

Slump in Northeast Asia’s ammonia imports accelerates to nearly 55% y-o-y amid industrial turmoil

While the European energy crisis has dominated news and business headlines in recent months and underlined the importance of the continent’s many ammonia producers to global fertilizer markets, trouble has also been brewing in northeast Asia, albeit without the same amount of press coverage. Through an unfortunate combination of devaluating regional currencies against the US…

Potential resumption of Russian ammonia exports sends shockwave through global market

In a relatively quiet week for the international ammonia market, the headline news was the United Nations’ (UN) surprise bid to broker a deal for a potential restart of Russian exports from Yuzhnyy. The announcement raised plenty of eyebrows among market players, with some worried the arrival of 170,000t per month of material could create…

PWNI continues to advance as nitrogen values firm on escalating supply concerns in Europe

The Profercy World Nitrogen Index (PWNI) has rapidly ascended this week, climbing to over 300 points, as nitrogen values continue to firm amid increasing concerns over future fertilizer production in Europe. With Dutch TTF gas prices trading around €200/MWh over the past week, European fertilizer producers continue to weigh up the profitability of running operations.…

USA: UAN imports from Russia and Trinidad given green light – ITC concludes shipments do not injure US industry

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has today made a final negative determination in its investigation concerning UAN solutions from Russia and Trinidad and Tobago.  Ultimately, the decision confirms that product from both major offshore suppliers will not be subject to anti-dumping or countervailing duties. The ITC and Department of Commerce (DOC) have been running…

European nitrate producers scramble to figure out new offer levels as gas prices surge

The European gas situation has led to a flurry of pricing activity in the nitrates market, albeit against little concluded business. With nitrates the primary premium nitrogen product in Europe, producers are expected to do their utmost to keep production running at capacity even if output levels for other products including urea, UAN and ammonia…