India announces back-to-back tenders as urea tightness continues to be felt globally

India has this week announced two new purchasing inquiries, within days of the conclusion of the latest producer-only tender that resulted in only 465,000t of urea being secured by the country. With the world’s largest urea importer desperately behind on purchases for this season, it has had no choice but to pay high prices for…

Russia announces nitrogen export quotas just below average levels to secure domestic supply

With great pomp, the Prime Minister of Russia, Mikhail Mishustin, on 3 November announced on state-owned television that temporary export quotas on nitrogen fertilizers will be introduced for a period of six months. The export quota for nitrogen fertilizers was set at 5.9m. tonnes and will come into force from 1 December, meaning November shipments…

Urea values continue rapid ascent as supplies remain limited, no signs of slow-down in sight

Global urea values have continued to race ahead and are yet to show signs of letting up. As the below table demonstrates, urea have significantly advanced since late August. With fundamentals in the nitrogen markets remaining strong, it appears there is no end to the increases for now. In the urea market, following its latest…

Profercy’s Nitrogen Index makes largest weekly increase and hits 2012 high as nitrogen shortage bites

With the surge in global urea values showing no sign of letting up, the Profercy World Nitrogen Index has made its biggest weekly increase on record, climbing by 23.39 points and hitting a new high of 253.04, levels that were last seen in May 2012. After remaining relatively stable during the past couple of weeks,…

Urea values surge in the west, supply tightens further as producers shutter and cutback output

With urea values already firm in the west, the situation has escalated further this week owing to the rapid ascent in spot gas prices in Europe. Ukrainian producers are now being forced to consider cutting back, or shut down operations altogether. Nitrogen production in other European locations is also considered under threat. CF Industries in…