Brazil's nitrogen-based ammonium sulphate (AS) imports reached a record for the first eight months of the year because high availability and more attractive prices continue to lead buyers to seek AS instead of urea.
Brazil imported nearly 3.8mn metric tonnes (t) in January-August, a 59pc increase from the same period last year and a record for the eight-month period, according to the Global Trade Tracker (GTT)'s latest data.
This puts total AS imports in the eight-month period around 100,000t above urea imports in the same period. That is the first time that Brazil imports more AS than urea in the period.
AS imports reached almost 916,090t in August, a 34pc rise from the same month in 2024 and also a record for the month.
China accounted for 99.9pc of total deliveries in the month and in the year through August.
Buyers continue to seek AS because its prices are more attractive than those of other nitrogen-based fertilizers, such as urea. Availability also contributes to keep demand high and support buyers' downward pressure on prices.
This trend has been intensifying since 2022, when concerns over urea supply made farmers turn to nitrogen alternatives.
The fertilizer can also be stocked. Urea, which is more volatile depending on weather conditions, cannot.
Urea imports down
Brazil's urea imports fell by 19pc in August to approximately 612,080t, according to GTT data.
Oman was the main supplier, with 21pc of the volume. Russia followed, with nearly 13pc, while Qatar, Nigeria and Algeria shipped around 12pc each.
Brazil imported around 3.7mn t of urea in January-August, around 16pc less than in the same period in 2024. That is also the lowest level for the eight-month period since 2019.
Nigeria was the main supplier in the eight-month period, accounting for 26pc of the total. Oman sent around 16pc. Qatar, Algeria and Russia were responsible for around 14pc, 13pc and 12pc, respectively.
Higher prices and global limited availability in part of the year discouraged urea purchases. Brazil's nitrogen purchases will intensify in the fourth quarter, after the start of the soybean planting, when buyers turn their attention to acquiring nitrogen to supply the 2025-26 second corn crop, market participants expect. But they also expect total urea exports to end 2025 below both last year's level and this year's AS volumes.
AN imports also fall
Brazil imported 157,430t of ammonium nitrate (AN) in August, a 23pc drop from a year earlier, according to GTT data.
But AN imports in January-August summed around 694,970t, 5pc more than in the same period in 2024.
Russia was the main supplier, accounting for all imports in August and 94pc of volumes in January-August.
