Sustainable and specialty fertilizers
Overview
The importance of sustainable and specialty fertilizer markets has grown as producers diversify their product ranges and end users seek more efficient fertilizer compositions. These developments have been further impacted by the drive towards sustainability, which has accelerated interest in these markets.
Argus market experts have many years of experience in these sectors, incorporating price reporting, cost calculations, fundamentals analysis and forecasting.
We support the industry by bringing understanding and clarity to clients through:
- Newly launched Argus Sustainable and Specialty Fertilizers price reporting service
- Annual Argus Water-Soluble Fertilizer Strategy Report
- Bespoke consulting project support
Latest sustainable and specialty fertilizers news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global sustainable and specialty fertilizers markets
US fertilizer market faces increasing scrutiny
US fertilizer market faces increasing scrutiny
Houston, 13 April (Argus) — The US phosphate market is facing renewed scrutiny as US exports rise even as war in the Middle East disrupts global fertilizer trade flows , pushing prices to the highest levels since 2022 and compounding consumer affordability concerns. The effective closure of the strait of Hormuz, through which a large portion of seaborne urea, ammonia, sulfur and phosphates transit, has severely tightened global supplies and drawn public attention to rising US fertilizer prices, most recently from US President Donald Trump . Farmers, traders and US lawmakers have pointed out that disruptions at the strait have collided with already strained domestic farmer economics. Even before the Middle East conflict , US fertilizer buyers and sellers had raised concerns about farmer input costs, fertilizer market concentration, and the effects of trade policy. But the Iran war has amplified those pressures. Phosphate exports tighten domestic supply Elevated US phosphate exports in the first quarter have further tightened domestic supplies at a time of surging prices. The US has seen a significant uptick in supplies leaving domestic ports, including domestically produced phosphates sold into the global market, as well as traders moving to re-export volumes originally brought to New Orleans, Louisiana, (Nola) because of concerns that their supply could exceed US spring demand. Mosaic, the country's largest phosphate producer, has exported outside of North America roughly 201,000 metric tons of DAP and MAP from January through March, according to its reported sales. This is at least 85,700t higher than combined DAP and MAP exports from the US to destinations aside from Canada for the same period in 2025, according to US Census Bureau data. On top of Mosaic's reported sales, domestic traders sold imported volumes at Nola for re-export in March, but the volume and load dates for the re-export tons have not been confirmed. The producer seems to be prioritizing higher profits overseas and domestic contract holders over US spot buyers while also delaying the release of barges, which has tightened availability ahead of the spring planting season, multiple Mosaic customers said. But following fertilizer industry criticism from Trump, Mosaic on Saturday said US phosphate prices are at a discount to the global market, reflecting "reduced farmer demand due to the overall difficult economic situation facing American farmers". The company added that its commitment is to "help feed a growing global population". Thin availability and rising feedstock costs for sulfur and ammonia have caused producers in China, Morocco, South Africa and India to pull back phosphate output. Most of Mosaic's export sales this year were to Latin American and India, where cfr values currently range from $865-900/t compared to a Nola DAP and MAP equivalent from last week of around $842/t cfr. Antitrust scrutiny and monopoly accusations The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Justice have been investigating competitiveness in the fertilizer, seed and feed markets since late last year. A memorandum of understanding signed in September 2025 directed the DOJ's antitrust division to examine market concentration in nitrogen, phosphate, and potash. Major producers — including Nutrien, Mosaic, CF Industries, Koch, and Yara — have been part of the inquiry. On Saturday, Trump took to social media to warn fertilizer companies about excessively raising US prices, adding that the administration "will not accept PRICE GOUGING from the fertilizer monopoly". USDA deputy secretary Stephen Vaden has also publicly described North American producers as a "duopoly", arguing in early March that limited competition allows producers to exert too much pricing power. Some US lawmakers have echoed these concerns, questioning whether price increases during the Middle East conflict reflect genuine supply constraints or market manipulation. Over 60 US grower associations and groups called for the end of countervailing duties (CVDs) on phosphate fertilizers from Morocco and Russia in a recent letter to the Department of Commerce, arguing that CVDs have limited farmers' supply options. A collection of Democratic lawmakers in a late March letter urged the USDA to take steps to reduce fertilizer costs that have increased as a direct result of the war with Iran. Despite the scrutiny, the administration has taken no direct action against producers. Instead, regulatory attention has focused on an ongoing five-year sunset review of CVDs on phosphate imports from Morocco and Russia. Many farmers and traders have urged the government to lift these duties, arguing that they restrict supply and worsen affordability at a time when global disruptions are already severe. US producers Mosaic and Simplot have told Commerce in filings that the CVDs should not be revoked. By Taylor Zavala Fertilizer affordability trending downward as prices rise $/st Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Trump warns about fertilizer 'price gouging'
Trump warns about fertilizer 'price gouging'
Houston, 13 April (Argus) — US President Donald Trump took to social media over the weekend to warn fertilizer companies against using "monopoly" power to excessively raise US prices, as the US-Israel war with Iran continues to disrupt global fertilizer supply chains. Trump said Saturday on his Truth Social platform he is "watching fertilizer prices CLOSELY" during what he described as the US "FIGHT FOR FREEDOM in Iran", adding that the administration "will not accept PRICE GOUGING from the fertilizer monopoly". Trump's public comments prompted an indirect response from Mosaic, one of the largest US producers of phosphate and potash. Global fertilizer prices are shaped by "well documented market factors", and these forces — not individual producers — determine phosphate and potash pricing, Mosaic posted Saturday on various social media platforms. Domestic and global fertilizer prices have risen sharply in recent months, reaching multi-year highs because of Iran's effective closure of the strait of Hormuz, where roughly 35pc of all seaborne urea transits through the Mideast Gulf. Similarly, 20-25pc of ammonia, 50pc of sulfur and 19pc of DAP and MAP global seaborne trade also transit the strait. Saudi Arabia is one of the leading suppliers of DAP and MAP to the US while Qatar is the same for urea. DAP and MAP prices in New Orleans, Louisiana, (Nola) both traded as high as $770/st fob last week, the highest since September 2022, but less than last week's India DAP price of $865/t cfr, also the highest since September 2022. Nola urea values ended last week at $692/st fob, up from $405/st fob a year earlier and also the highest since September 2022. The 2022 peaks occurred when the conflict between Ukraine and Russia tightened global supplies, a situation similar to the current market. The comments by Trump and Mosaic highlight the rising prominence of fertilizers in the political discourse surrounding the war in the Middle East as well as the administration's heightened political concerns as US farmers begin spring planting. The USDA has been working with the Department of Justice to investigate rising prices of seed and fertilizer since September 2025. Major fertilizer producers such as Nutrien, Mosaic, CF Industries, Koch and Yara have all been included in the investigation that has been focused on market concentration in nitrogen, phosphate and potash. "The last administration ignored this supply problem," US Department of Agriculture (USDA) secretary Brooke Rollins said Saturday on X while touting measures taken by the Trump administration to alleviate farmer input costs such as lifting trade barriers to importing Venezuelan nitrogen, temporarily waiving Jones Act shipping restrictions and easing diesel exhaust fluid regulations. USDA deputy secretary Stephen Vaden has gone so far as to allege that the behavior of North American producers is a "duopoly" and that the current state of the domestic fertilizer market lacks true competition as producers administer pricing control. Rising fertilizer prices have garnered attention from US lawmakers and prompted farmer lobbying groups to call on the Trump administration to lift countervailing duties on Russian and Moroccan phosphate imports that are under review. By Taylor Zavala Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US Mosaic sells 40,000t of DAP for south Asia
US Mosaic sells 40,000t of DAP for south Asia
London, 13 April (Argus) — US phosphates producer Mosaic has reported selling about 40,000t of DAP for loading in early June and for shipment to south Asia. Mosaic estimates a netback from the delivered price of about $840/t fob Tampa. Mosaic did not clarify the exact destination, but India is the most likely within south Asia. If so, the delivered price is likely to be in the high $900s/t cfr or low $910s/t cfr. But no sale to Indian importers at this level has emerged. The latest confirmed DAP sale to an Indian importer was at $865/t cfr. Mosaic also did not confirm if this sale is to a trading firm or importer. So it could be a trading firm taking a long position. By Tom Hampson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US blockade could hit third of remaining Hormuz traffic
US blockade could hit third of remaining Hormuz traffic
London, 13 April (Argus) — As much as 36pc of all tanker traffic transiting the strait of Hormuz since the start of the US–Iran war either departed or were bound for Iranian ports, the sort of voyage Washington has indicated will be restricted from today as part of its naval blockade. Of the 148 tankers that have transited the strait since 28 February, Iranian-linked voyages accounted for 53. Among these were 20 very large crude carriers (VLCC), five Suezmax, two Aframax and ten Medium Range (MR). The US on Sunday said it will impose a naval blockade against vessels of all nationalities entering or departing Iranian ports, beginning at 10:00 ET (14:00 GMT) on 13 April. US president Donald Trump also warned ships complying with Iranian transit conditions, including the payment of tolls, could be stopped in international waters. The US plan is to allow navigation through the strait of Hormuz to and from non Iranian ports, much of which is being prevented by Iranian control of the strait. This move follows talks between the US and Iran in Islamabad over the weekend that ended without agreement and failed to reopen the strait. Since a ceasefire declared on 7 April, the waterway has largely remained under Iranian control, and the few ships that have passed through it appear to have either paid an unofficial toll to Tehran — believed to be the equivalent of $1/bl for crude tankers — or to have made other arrangements with the Iranian government. Iran said it would respond to a US naval blockade of Hormuz by encouraging Yemen's Houthis to resume attacks in the Bab al-Mandeb waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean. Tehran also threatened to target ports across the Mideast Gulf if its own facilities are attacked. The ceasefire agreement will be in place until 21 April, but it could be extended. By Erika Tsirikou Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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