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You can unsubscribe from these updates at any time. We manage your personal data in accordance with our privacy policy.Swiss agribusiness Ameropa has tapped fertilizer subsidiary head Josh Zacharias to serve as chief executive starting today.
Zacharia succeeds former chief executive William Dujardin, who resigned 30 November for personal reasons after nearly four years in the role.
Zacharias was promoted from chief executive of Ameropa's subsidiary Azomures, a nitrogen fertilizer producer in Romania.
Houston, 24 January (Argus) — Major barge carrier American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL) has issued its tentative reopening plan for the upper Mississippi River, with release dates as soon as 1 February. Depending on operating conditions, ACBL will begin releasing barges at Mobile, Alabama; Houston, Texas; and Lake Charles, Louisiana, on 1 February for barges destined above St Louis, Missouri, but below Dubuque, Iowa. The barges destined between Dubuque and St Paul, Minnesota, will begin travel as soon as on 11 February at the same locations. Release dates are based on ACBL's anticipated lock reopenings by the US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps). Lock 25, upriver of St Louis, Missouri, is scheduled to reopen on 28 February, ACBL said. The main chambers for neighboring locks 27 and Mel Price will still be closed, although the auxiliary locks will be open, according to the Corps. Upper Mississippi Locks 20,18 and 16, between Quincy, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa are expected to reopen 4 March, the Corps said. But these dates remain tentative since freezing conditions may still hamper transit. The Corps typically reopens locks around mid-March depending on ice thickness across multiple locations. By Meghan Yoyotte ACBL's tentative upper Miss. reopening schedule Origin Port Barges destined above St L. to Dubuque, IA Barges destined above Dubuque to St Paul, MN Mobile, AL 1 Feb 11 Feb Houston, TX 1 Feb 11 Feb Lake Charles, LA 1 Feb 11 Feb New Iberia, LA 4 Feb 14 Feb New Orleans, LA 11 Feb 21 Feb Memphis, TN 18 Feb 28 Feb Little Rock, AR 11 Feb 21 Feb Blytheville, AR 19 Feb 1 Mar Pittsburgh, PA 12 Feb 22 Feb Cincinnati, OH 16 Feb 26 Feb Jeffersonville, OH 18 Feb 28 Feb Louisville, KY 18 Feb 28 Feb Evansville, MS 20 Feb 1 Mar Chicago-Joliet, IL 25 Mar 25 Mar Morris, IL-South 20 Feb 1 Mar Nashville, TN 20 Feb 1 Mar Decatur, AL 16 Feb 26 Feb Chattanooga, TN 12 Feb 22 Feb Cairo, IL 28 Feb 9 Mar St. Louis, MO 1 Mar 11 Mar ― ACBL Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Houston, 24 January (Argus) — The port of New Orleans reopened today after a prolonged shut-down propelled by a heavy winter storm that swept through the US Gulf earlier this week. Nola and Ports America reopened today to begin working on the backlog of movement caused by the storm. The port had been officially closed since 19 January in anticipation of the wintry temperatures, heavy precipitation and winds. Several inches of snow fell across New Orleans beginning Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service, with freezing conditions lasting through Thursday. Both ship and barge loadings and unloadings were significantly delayed across terminals. Several shipping and barge companies announced force majeures before the storm but are expected to reopen within the next couple of days, subject to safety conditions. By Meghan Yoyotte Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Singapore, 23 January (Argus) — The halt in customs inspections for SOP exports led to a sharp fall in China's shipments in 2024 as export volumes fell to a five-year low. China's SOP exports in 2024 fell by 84pc on the year to just 16,700t, the lowest since 2018, which recorded 8,700t of exports, GTT data show. About 75pc of total 2024 exports took place in the second half of the year, as buyers sought to shift more product in 9.5kg bags. But this type of packaging was not favoured by buyers from Latin American markets which typically buy for bulk blending, as they needed to pay for additional labour costs to remove these bags. As a result, shipments to Peru and Mexico plunged to 23,800t and 2,600t from 8,600t and 40,500t, respectively. South Africa replaced Mexico as the top export destination in 2024, but shipments to South Africa nearly halved on the year to 4,600t. Chinese SOP exports saw significant growth in 2019-20, supported by strong demand from Latin American and south Asian markets. But export volumes took a downturn from 2021 onwards as suppliers were urged to prioritise supplies for the domestic market and keep domestic prices stable. China mainly exports SOP that is produced by the Mannheim process, which uses MOP as a raw material. China depends heavily on MOP imports based on an annual contract price with global major producers as well as a monthly cross-border contract price with Russian producer Uralkali, as its domestic MOP production is not enough to meet the country's needs. Most Chinese suppliers halted export offers for SOP in 9.5kg bags in January, after a change in the customs clearance definition for small-volume exports was implemented from 1 January 2025, making it difficult for suppliers to ship 9.5kg bags in jumbo bags via break bulk vessels. This could further limit China's SOP export availability this year. By Huijun Yao Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Singapore, 23 January (Argus) — The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) has reiterated plans to distribute funds to rice farmers over the planting season following a meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr on 13 January. This is aimed at boosting the local palay (unhusked rice) output for 2025. The Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund has tripled to 30bn pesos ($513mn) in 2025 from previous levels of 10bn pesos ($171mn), sourced from tariffs collected on imported rice. This comes on the back of a revised Rice Tariffication law signed on 9 December to extend funding for the modernisation of the rice industry. Around 6bn pesos of the initial 10bn pesos will be allocated for farm mechanisation, with 4bn pesos for seeds. Other components to be funded include solar irrigation, diversification, and rice farmers' financial assistance. This will help farmers get agricultural support over the planting season, including the timely delivery of input seeds and fertilizers, which will ensure efficient planting and increase productivity, according to spokesperson from the Phillipine Department of Agriculture (DA) Arnel de Mesa. The DA is anticipating an increase in unhusked rice production for 2025 and has raised output projections to 20mn t, higher than the 19.3mn t projected in late-2024. By Dinise Chng Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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