Calum Findlay, Gleadell’s fertiliser manager, comments on fertiliser markets.
Urea
The civil unrest and gas supply problems in Egypt continue to impact on production levels. Elsewhere, we have seen the US market again come under pressure. Here they still have volumes to arrive and the concern is the Mississippi water levels, which, as a main distribution channel, remain low and this could result in possible distribution problems.
The market is stable and expectations are that prices will remain relatively firm through to the end of the year both for prilled and granular. There is still a huge demand to surface, but everyone remains cautious. In the UK, buying interest pre-Christmas remains at low levels.
Ammonium Nitrate
In the Baltic and Black Sea, offers for AN have risen sharply this week on the lack of availability, with some producers sold out for January and now evaluating if they have any tonnes at all to offer for February shipment.
Ammonium nitrate in the UK continues to move at a slow pace and, as imported values move upwards, Nitram which will spread 32m and beyond using a calibrated machine should be considered now as an alternative product. GrowHow investments at Billingham have substantially removed CO2 emissions, reducing the carbon footprint for Nitram by 40%.
Phosphate and Potash
Both these markets remain quiet as values continue to trade sideways. Little or no demand is now expected before January and, with an increase in spring sown crops and sales of straight P and K well down this autumn, the demand for spring NPK fertilisers is forecast to increase. Applied in the spring these are very effective when used to balance P and K indices, especially as a granular compound where the correct fertiliser can be applied in the right place at the right time.
