Potash
Overview
The potash market has been disrupted from its traditional trade flows and typically slow-moving price cycles, affected by new entrants, new mines, military conflicts and political tensions in countries that either produce or consume some of the largest quantities of potash in the world. The need for accurate insight and data is more acute than ever.
Our extensive potash coverage includes MOP, SOP and NOP. Argus has many decades of experience covering the potash market and we incorporate our multi-commodity market expertise to provide potash price assessments, analysis and data that provides the full narrative.
Argus support market participants with:
- Weekly potash price assessments, proprietary data and market commentary
- Short and medium to long-term forecasting, modelling and analysis of potash prices, supply, demand, trade and projects
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Latest potash news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global potash industry.
BHP's Jansen potash project faces higher costs
BHP's Jansen potash project faces higher costs
Sydney, 20 January (Argus) — Australian mining firm BHP has completed 75pc of its 4.15mn t/yr Jansen stage 1 MOP project in Canada's Saskatchewan, but costs for the project's stage 1 have increased by $1bn-1.4bn, the firm said today. The Jansen stage 1 costs have reached $8.4bn, a 14pc increase from the latest estimate provided in July 2025, partly because of inflation and scope changes. The project's first phase is set to reach first production in mid-2027. The total investment for Jansen stage 1 was $5.7bn in August 2021 , when the project was approved, before increasing to $7bn-7.4bn in July 2025 . The most recent cost increase is because of construction hours and material quantities that were not included in previous cost estimates, BHP said. Jansen stage 2 is 14pc complete. The company expects first production from that stage before 30 June 2031. Production from the second stage will be around 4.36mn t/yr, sending the project's total capacity to 8.51mn t/yr. The project has the potential to reach a capacity of 16-17mn t/yr through two further expansions, BHP said. BHP expects to provide an updated investment estimate for Jansen stage 2 before the end of BHP's financial year on 30 June 2026. By Susannah Cornford Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Pakistan’s SOP capacity expansion to weigh on imports
Pakistan’s SOP capacity expansion to weigh on imports
Singapore, 12 January (Argus) — Pakistan's SOP imports are likely to decline further in 2026 as domestic producers continue to expand capacity this year, driving higher demand for MOP imports to the country. Domestic producer Barket Fertilizers added 15,500 t/yr of capacity in 2025, taking its total capacity to 50,000 t/yr by November. Fellow producer Suncrop Group began commercial production at its 40,000t/yr plant in Punjab in October 2025. These additions have raised Pakistan's total SOP capacity to 110,000 t/yr as of early 2026. Agven, Barket, and United Agro plan to add at least around 60,000 t/yr of capacity by end of 2027. The increase in Pakistan's SOP capacity has dampened imports in 2025, with total arrivals down by 24pc on the year to 54,100t, latest Global Trade Tracker (GTT) data show. Taiwan remained Pakistan's largest SOP supplier in 2025, but imports fell by 24pc on the year to 22,300t, while imports from mainland China also fell by 17pc on the year to 9,200t. By contrast, supplies from Egypt and Saudi Arabia made headway in Pakistan, with deliveries from these countries growing to 5,200t and 4,800t, up from 1,400t and 3,500t in 2024, respectively. Rising SOP capacity has boosted Pakistan's demand for MOP, with 2025 imports up by 18pc on the year to 89,800t. Pakistan's SOP production adopts the Mannheim method, which uses MOP and sulphuric acid as feedstocks. Canada overtook Jordan as Pakistan's top MOP supplier in 2025, with deliveries rising to 33,800t from 1,300t in 2024. Imports from Vietnam — likely representing Laotian supply — also rose sharply to 23,700t from 8,800t a year earlier. Continued growth in Mannheim SOP capacity is expected to drive the country's demand for MOP imports this year. Pakistan's domestic SOP demand is estimated at 70,000-100,000 t/yr, according to local producers. SOP is used on chlorine-sensitive crops like potatoes, cotton, and tobacco, which are widely grown in Pakistan. Producers expect domestic consumption to gradually increase in the coming years, reducing reliance on imports and potentially paving the way for exports. Only one producer, Agven, has plans to export SOP from Pakistan, but none have materialised so far as the company focuses on the domestic market. Agven's plant is located at Gwadar port, which has poor container vessel traffic — the main mode for SOP exports. Any containerized shipments would need to be trucked to Karachi, adding significant freight costs and making exports unattractive. By Huijun Yao Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Swedish SOP producer Cinis mulls liquidation
Swedish SOP producer Cinis mulls liquidation
London, 9 January (Argus) — Swedish water-soluble potassium sulphate (SOP) producer Cinis has announced it may be forced to begin company insolvency unless it can achieve a short-term financing deal with lenders. The fertilizer company says it is in a "strained financial situation" and currently in negotiations with financers to provide short-term credit. But liquidation in as little as two weeks remains the "most likely" outcome, a company press release said. Cinis, which produces SOP from pulp-and-paper and car battery industries, began output at its 100,000 t/yr Ornskoldsvik plant in Sweden in May 2024. It later delivered its first vessel of product to Dutch speciality fertilizer company Van Iperen in September that year. But Cinis has faced persistent challenges since then, including missing its production goals in 2024 because of production disruptions, and transportation issues. The company in April last year sought finance to boost production and fund improvement at its plant. It then in October ditched its output targets and asked for further funding, before pausing production in November. By Aidan Hall Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Intrepid Potash developing Utah lithium project
Intrepid Potash developing Utah lithium project
Houston, 5 January (Argus) — US fertilizer producer Intrepid Potash is developing a lithium processing project in Wendover, Utah, in partnership with technology firms Aquatech and Adionics. The project would produce battery grade lithium carbonate from brine byproduct at Intrepid's potash facility. Project testing results achieved a lithium extraction rate of 92.9pc, producing an overall lithium chloride purity above 99.5pc, Intrepid said. The produced lithium from Adionics' facility was further processed by Aquatech to validate the conversion and refining to battery-grade lithium carbonate at 99.5pc, meeting battery manufacturing specifications. "We believe the existing infrastructure at our Wendover potash operation and the presence of lithium in our post-process brine differentiates this opportunity from other lithium development projects," Intrepid chief executive Kevin Crutchfield said. Crutchfield said capital risk will be limited as Intrepid maintains focus on core fertilizer operations, but that the timing for lithium projects is "perfect" given the US' emphasis on increasing domestic critical minerals production. Intrepid, Aquatech and Adionics will move forward with their joint development following the successful test results, but the project's timeline was not detailed. By Taylor Zavala Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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