Egypt's NCIC awards SOP sales tender

Market: Fertilizers
27/09/24

Egyptian SOP producer NCIC made awards against its 25 September sales tender for 2,000t of water-soluble SOP for loading by the end of October at $655-660/t fob equivalent.

It was likely to have been sold to the domestic market.

The sales tender marks the first time in two years that the Egyptian fertilizer producer had offered SOP for export. It was previously undergoing maintenance on some of its ovens and supplying to the domestic market exclusively.

NCIC said it is now operating at full capacity, producing both water-soluble and powdered SOP, at a capacity of 50 t/day.

SOP supply remains tight globally. The return of NCIC as well as the recent exports from Cinis Fertilizer's new 100,000 t/yr SOP plant in Sweden may relieve some pressure on water-soluble SOP availability in the coming months. But this additional supply may be offset by a potential reduction in European supply, where Mannheim producers are struggling to procure liquid sulphur for their operations.

By Nykole King

Related news posts

Argus illuminates the markets by putting a lens on the areas that matter most to you. The market news and commentary we publish reveals vital insights that enable you to make stronger, well-informed decisions. Explore a selection of news stories related to this one.

News

12/06/25

Indonesia seeks stronger potash trade with Belarus

London, 12 June (Argus) — Indonesia is looking to improve trade flows of potash with Belarus after a meeting last week between Indonesian foreign minister Sugiono and the Belarusian ambassador to Jakarta. Sugiono intends to enhance "co-operation in potash" with Belarus to support the Indonesian government's goal of "achieving national food security", the foreign ministry said in an official statement. Belarus is one of the world's largest exporters of potash fertilizer. State-owned producer Belaruskali exported more than 10mn t of potash last year. Indonesia is the largest importer of potash in southeast Asia and applies most of the fertilizer to the country's large palm oil plantations. Indonesia sourced almost a fifth of its total MOP imports from Belarus last year. Indonesia imported 245,000t of MOP from Belarus last year, in addition to roughly 406,000t of MOP from Uzbekistan, the majority of which is likely to be from Belarus, GTT data show. In the first four months of this year, MOP imports from Belarus and Uzbekistan totalled about 331,000t. Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto has outlined food security as a core objective of his government. Since coming to power in October, his administration has introduced plans to increase agricultural output by converting some of the country's swamplands into rice fields. By Aidan Hall Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Find out more

News

EU adopts new Russia, Belarus tariffs

12/06/25

News

12/06/25

EU adopts new Russia, Belarus tariffs

Brussels, 12 June (Argus) — The EU has now formally adopted new tariffs on remaining Russian and Belarus agricultural products, as well as on a range of fertilizers. The regulation, implementing the tariffs, enters into force on 1 July. EU officials estimate the new agricultural tariffs cover up to 15pc of Russian agricultural exports to the EU in 2023. The EU would, from 1 July, place an additional 50pc tariff customs duty based on value on over 145 CN codes. Goods covered include animal, dairy, live trees and other plants, coffee and meat as well as various animal fats and plant oils, including palm and palm kernel oil. The implementation of tariffs is to take place over three years for nitrogen-based and compound fertilisers. The new tariffs add an additional €40/t on imports of most nitrogen fertilizers — including urea, amsul, AN, CAN, and UAN — from Russia and Belarus, beginning on 1 July. They also add €45/t to the import of DAP, MAP, NPKs, NP and some other grades. The new tariffs are additional to already-existing import tariffs to the EU. For most grades from Russia these import tariffs are set at 6.5pc. From 2026 until 2028 the rates increase to reach levels of €315/t and €430/t respectively for the two product groups. The legal text also foresees immediate application of the highest rates, if cumulative imports exceed 2.7mn t in 2025-2026, 1.8mn t in 2026-2027, or 0.9mn t in 2027-2028. The European Parliament adopted the additional tariffs last month. Like EU states, parliament confirmed the commission's legal proposal, leaving unchanged the rates and phase-in period of tariffs proposed by the commission at the end of January. By Dafydd ab Iago EU proposed import tariffs for Russia and Belarus ( €/t *) Urea, Amsul, AN, CAN, UAN NPKs, DAP, MAP, NP Jul 25-Jun 26 40 45 Jul 26-Jun 27 60 70 Jul 27-Jun 28 80 95 From Jul 28 315 430 *All tariffs on top of 6.5pc import duty. Levels are applicable for a total of 2.7mn t in 2025-26, 1.8mn t in 2026-27, and 0.9mn t in 2027-28. Once the quota has been reached, levels jump to the level from July 28 — EU Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

India’s RCF receives DAP offer, NFL issues DAP tenders

12/06/25

News

12/06/25

India’s RCF receives DAP offer, NFL issues DAP tenders

London, 12 June (Argus) — Indian fertilizer importer RCF received one offer at $781/t cfr under its tender to buy 50,000t of DAP, which closed today, and fellow importer NFL will close tenders to buy DAP on 13 and 16 June. Trading firm Indagro submitted the only offer in RCF's tender. RCF had sought offers for black, brown or white DAP for shipment from the load port by 10 July and delivery to the east coast of India from its memorandum of understanding (MOU) suppliers. Indagro also submitted an offer at $779.90/t cfr in Indian importer Hurl's tender to buy DAP, which closed on Wednesday, alongside fellow trading firm Hexagon, which offered at $774.93/t cfr. NFL seeks DAP in tenders NFL is seeking offers for 25,000-50,000t of black, brown or neutral-coloured DAP in a tender closing on Friday. It wants the cargo to ship from the load port by 30 June for delivery to India's west coast. Offers are to be valid until 18 June. It has also issued a tender to buy 25,000-50,000t of DAP, closing on 16 June. It wants the cargo to ship from the load port by 31 July, also for delivery to India's west coast. Offers are to be valid until 20 June. Both tenders are open to NFL's MOU suppliers. The cargoes in both tenders are to be priced for payment at sight. By Tom Hampson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Japan to import more ammonia from 2027

12/06/25

News

12/06/25

Japan to import more ammonia from 2027

Singapore, 12 June (Argus) — Japan is expected to import an additional 100,000-150,000t of grey ammonia from 2027, following the closure of domestic ammonia producer and petrochemicals company Ube Chemicals. Ube will idle its 330,000 t/yr ammonia plant in Japan by March 2028, citing declining profitability of its downstream caprolactam and nylon polymer production business. Japan's total ammonia consumption is around 1mn t/yr, with domestic production fulfilling 800,000-900,000 t/yr of this. Imports typically amount to around 200,000 t/yr, but these have declined slightly this year to around 140,000-150,000 t/yr owing to poor downstream fundamentals in the chemicals industry. The closure of Ube's ammonia plant in 2027-28 means Japan will likely need to increase its ammonia imports to fulfil the shortfall, with the additional supply potentially coming from southeast Asia or China. Ube accounts for around 40pc of Japanese domestic ammonia production. Japan's remaining three ammonia producers are Mitsui Chemicals, Resonac and Nissan Chemicals, which have ammonia production capacities of 314,000 t/yr, 120,000 t/yr and 100,000 t/yr, respectively, accounting for 35pc, 13pc and 11pc of domestic production. Ammonia is mainly used in Japan to produce petrochemicals, automotive-grade AdBlue urea or other urea derivatives, fertilizers and nitric acid. Japan's semiconductor industries also use ammonia, although they only require around 5,000 t/yr. By Dinise Chng Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Indorama sells urea in low $390s/t fob Nigeria: Update

11/06/25

News

11/06/25

Indorama sells urea in low $390s/t fob Nigeria: Update

Adds cargo size, regional destination Amsterdam, 11 June (Argus) — Fertilizer and chemicals producer Indorama has sold a Nigerian granular urea cargo in the low $390s/t fob, matching fob business in Nigeria last week. The 25,000t cargo is due to load in the second half of this month from Onne for an African market. There has been no confirmation of the specific destination. Nigerian supplier Dangote sold 30,000t of granular urea at $393/t fob last week for loading in the first half of June. Dangote returned to the market today, issuing sale tenders closing on Thursday for two cargoes loading towards the end of June. By Harry Minihan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Business intelligence reports

Get concise, trustworthy and unbiased analysis of the latest trends and developments in oil and energy markets. These reports are specially created for decision makers who don’t have time to track markets day-by-day, minute-by-minute.

Learn more