Fertilizers
Overview
The fertilizer industry has seen dramatic changes in market dynamics, with challenges posed by policy and regulatory changes, political instability, conflicts and new macroeconomic realities. The drive towards energy transition and ambitious zero-carbon goals has also opened up the industry to new entrants and new opportunities.
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Latest fertilizer news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global fertilizer industry.
Trump orders pause in Iran strikes as talks open
Trump orders pause in Iran strikes as talks open
Dubai, 23 March (Argus) — US president Donald Trump said today he has ordered a five-day halt to planned military strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure, saying Washington and Tehran have held "very good and productive" conversations aimed at ending the war. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the two sides had engaged in "in-depth, detailed and constructive" discussions over the past two days on achieving a "complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East". He said further meetings would continue this week and that the pause in military action was conditional on the "success of the ongoing meetings and discussions". Front-month Ice Brent crude fell to as low as $96/bl in intra-day trading, down from the settlement price of $112.19/bl on 20 March. It is now trending at around $103/bl. European gas prices also tumbled in response to the post. The front-month contract at the benchmark TTF gas hub dropped by 17pc in the space of eight minutes, to just over €54/MWh at 11:10 GMT from €62/MWh just after 11:00 GMT. The price had climbed back up to €59/MWh by 11:22 GMT. Trump's announcement marks a sharp shift from his weekend ultimatum demanding Iran fully reopen the strait of Hormuz within 48 hours or face immediate strikes on its power infrastructure. Iran responded by threatening to destroy oil facilities and other critical infrastructure across the Middle East "in an irreversible manner" if the US attacks its power plants. Traffic through the Hormuz strait has been heavily restricted since major US-Israeli strikes on 28 February triggered Iranian retaliatory attacks on ships and energy infrastructure across the Mideast Gulf, severely disrupting exports of crude, oil products, LNG, fertilizers and other commodities from the region. Earlier today, Iran's Defence Council warned that any attack on its coasts or islands would prompt it to lay naval mines across the Gulf, putting the wider region in a position similar to the strait of Hormuz "for a long time", according to state media. Tehran has also said the strait would only be open to vessels from "non-belligerent" countries co-ordinating passage with Iran. Foreign minister Abbas Araqchi said over the weekend that Iran was willing to discuss safe passage through Hormuz with Japan and other states that had not attacked Iran. By Nader Itayim, Andrey Telegin and James Keates Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US Senate seeks reporting of weekly ferts sales data
US Senate seeks reporting of weekly ferts sales data
Houston, 20 March (Argus) — A bipartisan bill introduced in the US Senate on 19 March would require manufacturers and wholesalers of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer products to report prices and quantities weekly for public disclosure. The Fertilizer Transparency Act of 2026, introduced by senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) and John Thune (R–South Dakota), would mandate the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to collect and publish data on fertilizer prices, production volumes, and sales volumes from both domestic and foreign manufacturers and wholesalers selling into the US market. The identities of individuals and contract parties will remain confidential. "At a time when rising fertilizer costs and low commodity prices are continuing to erode farmers' profitability, we should be increasing price transparency for farmers in the current market," Klobuchar said. Weekly reports will include data for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Prices and quantities for finished fertilizers, including urea and UAN, will also be reported. The data will clearly distinguish US-manufactured and imported products to ensure transparency around import reliance. Cooperatives and non-manufacturer retailers are exempt from mandatory reporting but may choose to report voluntarily and confidentially through a price survey and commercially available estimates, which will be published in the Agricultural Marketing Service. All information will be made publicly available to farmers and market participants, and will be published on a national and, where appropriate, statewide basis. Co-sponsors to this bill are senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin). The senators introduced a bill in September 2025 that direct the USDA to publish a comprehensive report analyzing trends in the US fertilizer industry to help farmers better manage input costs. Separately, senator Klobuchar, along with senator Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), introduced the Homegrown Fertilizer Act which would create a grant and loan program to expand domestic fertilizer production and improve fertilizer storage capacity, the US Senate Agriculture Committee said. By Sneha Kumar Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Fertilizer industry weighs up war impacts
Fertilizer industry weighs up war impacts
London, 19 March (Argus) — The repercussions of the Middle East war for the fertilizer sector are mounting — aside from immediate urea, ammonia, phosphate, sulphur and sulphuric acid price spikes. Vessels' inability to transit the strait of Hormuz has driven price rises for essential commodities and the threat of severe shortages across the supply chain. The urea price had jumped by over $230/t, around 50pc, from $482.50/t fob Egypt on 27 February to $720/t on 17 March, while the ammonia price has climbed by $115/t, or 24pc, from $495/t fob Middle East on 27 February to $600/t on 18 March. Strikes on infrastructure across the Mideast Gulf and force majeures could further squeeze availability. Protecting domestic supply The ripples of the war extend far beyond the Gulf region. Oil and gas are both vital for the global fertilizer supply chain, and the disruption to their supply has prompted government directives to protect fertilizer and energy supplies. India has issued a directive to prioritise domestic natural gas and regasified LNG supply to the city gas network, designating fertilizers as a second-priority status and limiting gas supply to 70pc of the sector's typical needs, although recent reports suggest it may be nearer 75pc. India relies heavily on imports of raw materials to feed its extensive fertilizer industry and on imports of finished fertilizers, mainly urea and DAP. Over half of India's natural gas imports come from the Middle East, along with around 80pc of its ammonia requirements. India produces 2.6mn t/month of urea, with gas the key feedstock, but this latest directive has resulted in an estimated production drop of some 800,000 t/month. China has vast nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer production capacity, and has become a major exporter during its off season. In a normal year, India would look to China to supply much of its nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer shortfall, but China is concerned at the sulphur and energy supply squeeze and is taking measures of its own. Chinese urea or other nitrogen fertilizer exports are unlikely to be available in the near future. China imports around 45pc of its crude from the Middle East, along with 25-30pc of its LNG. Around half the 9.6mn t of sulphur — essential for phosphate fertilizers — that China imported in 2025 was from the Middle East. The price of sulphur rose by some 600pc in the two years to January 2026, leading to the erosion of demand, with prices only starting to correct back down on the eve of the conflict. Because of rapidly rising sulphur prices, China had already halved its sulphuric acid export schedule on the year in January-April in an attempt to preserve sulphur for its own needs. There may be no exports of Chinese TSP and SSP , or DAP and MAP, before August, unless the sulphur price falls. The US' sanctions enforcement arm is allowing imports of crude, refined products and fertilizers from Venezuela. President Donald Trump has also announced a Jones Act waiver to facilitate deliveries of key commodities, including fertilizers, between US ports. Separately, a letter signed by 64 agricultural groups on 13 March urged fertilizer producers Mosaic and JR Simplot to help stabilise prices by withdrawing support for countervailing duties on the US' Moroccan phosphate fertilizer imports. Bracing for shortages and price hikes The lack of Chinese nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer exports, in addition to Middle East supply constraints, will have a substantial impact — not only in India, where the situation could turn critical, but in the agricultural powerhouses of Brazil, US and Australia. Australia imported over 60pc of its urea from the Middle East in 2025. Current domestic supplies will last until mid-April, but beyond that it will have to turn to alternative sources, including southeast Asia. Brazil is just starting its purchasing campaign for the 2026-27 soybean season and would normally be looking to cover 25-30pc of its extensive phosphate fertilizer requirements from China. But without Chinese product and the war constraining Saudi phosphate fertilizer shipments and sulphur and ammonia shipments to other major phosphate fertilizer producers such as Morocco, prices will rise. Brazil depends almost entirely on imports to cover its urea requirements, with around half of these typically from the Middle East. In Europe, the market is watching to see whether the European Commission classes the war in the Middle East as a "serious and unforeseen circumstance", triggering the suspension of the carbon border adjustment mechanism for fertilizers — a process that could take months. Although most requirements are now covered for the main season that is now under way, fertilizer prices in Europe are rising as a direct result of fears over shortages and affordability. By Sarah Marlow Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Saudi Arabia’s Maaden sells 50,000t of DAP to Ethiopia
Saudi Arabia’s Maaden sells 50,000t of DAP to Ethiopia
London, 19 March (Argus) — Saudi Arabian phosphates producer Maaden has reported selling 50,000t of DAP to Ethiopia in the low to mid-$800s/t cfr Djibouti. The cargo will load and ship out of Saudi Arabia's western port of Yanbu in the Red Sea rather than the typical Ras Al-Kair on the east coast, avoiding the strait of Hormuz. The price nets back to the high $760s/t to about $770/t fob Yanbu. This is the second vessel Maaden has lined up to export phosphates from Yanbu. Maaden sold 15,000t of MAP to South America last week . Argus understands that the MAP will ship in combination with 40,000t of DAP/MAP which Maaden sold in January for shipment to Latin America. This brings the DAP/MAP export line-up at Yanbu to about 105,000t for April. By Tom Hampson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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