Ice ammonia contract trades largest volume to date

: Fertilizers
24/07/04

The Ice Ammonia Outright-Argus Ammonia NWE cfr future contract (AOA) saw its largest trade to date on 3 July — a 3,000t August cargo clearing at $450/t cfr.

The contract traded through FIS brokers and cleared through Ice. The AOA futures contract was launched on 16 January 2023 and settles against a calendar-month average of the daily Argus northwest Europe cfr duty free price.

The Ice contract was first used in April 2023, when a 500t May cargo was sold at $385/t cfr, also brokered by FIS.

The contract's block trade minimum threshold is five lots. One lot is the equivalent of 100t.

By Ruth Sharpe

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25/03/19

Mosaic optimistic about output, future demand

Houston, 19 March (Argus) — US fertilizer producer Mosaic is hopeful its output this year will exceed 2024 levels as it plans to enhance its capacity to meet anticipated demand growth. Mosaic expects phosphate and potash global demand to individually exceed 80mn metric tonnes (t) by the end of the decade, with phosphate's demand increase to be limited by a lack of adequate global supply. For phosphate, that would represent an uptick of 7mn t of demand while for potash that would represent an increase of nearly 9mn t. Mosaic referenced biofuel demand, feed use, and food use as the main pillars of agriculture commodity demand growth. There are a handful of factors expected to drive demand growth for phosphate and potash, such as population growth and an increase in the usage of the phosphate molecule in the industrial sector, the producer said in its analyst day presentation. Executive vice president Jenny Wang pointed out the downward trend in Chinese phosphate exports. The country in recent years exported roughly 10mn t, but that level has dropped to around 7mn-8mn t as it focuses on meeting domestic demand first. Mosaic expects annual Chinese phosphate exports to continue to drop by at least another 2mn t, while global phosphate demand growth from 2025-2030 is expected to increase by at least 2pc, which would further tighten global supply. The producer also did not shy away from detailing its loss of 700,000t of phosphate production last year from the plethora of hurricanes and winter storms that swept through the US Gulf. Vice president Karen Swager said if the 700,000t of phosphate had been included in the annual output tonnage, the overall 2024 production rate would have surpassed 2023, and therefore 2025's phosphate output should show an uptick. Mosaic last year produced roughly 6.3mn t of phosphate. It expects to produce between 7.2mn-7.6mn t this year and nearly 8.2mn t by 2026. "As we ramp our production up, we will lower our unit costs because a lot of our costs are fixed," Swager said. The producer has also been installing new technology at its Canadian mines that should lead to an 8pc increase in its 2025 potash output compared with 2024 levels, which were lowered by 250,000t because of electrical mine issues . Mosaic anticipates 2025 production to total between 8.9mn-9.1mn t and should near 9.2mn t by 2027. "Better operating efficiency will unlock value that enables us to grow high margin areas of the business, and invest less in the areas that aren't generating those type of returns," president Bruce Bodine said. By Taylor Zavala Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Modified fertilizer tariffs in effect indefinitely: TFI

25/03/19

Modified fertilizer tariffs in effect indefinitely: TFI

Houston, 19 March (Argus) — US fertilizer industry association The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) today told its members that there is no end date for modified tariffs on Canadian and Mexican fertilizers. The exclusions and modified tariff rates will be in effect indefinitely unless President Donald Trump decides otherwise, since no expiration date was outlined in the executive order, TFI said in an alert to is members. TFI referenced speculation throughout the fertilizer industry regarding the executive order being set to expire at the beginning of April, but specified that there has not been authorized verification from the Trump administration about the end date. The industry group advised to beware of the lack of timeline, and remain conscious of the possibility of no "guarantees" in a tariff change in the near future. Canadian and Mexican imports of fertilizer and other products deemed compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) were excluded from the 25pc tariff implemented on 4 March under an executive order from the Trump administration. In comparison, potash deemed to lack USMCA preference status will face a reduced 10pc tariff, likely driven by the significant amount of Canadian potash imported into the US annually. Market sentiment has mirrored the uncertainty of the tariffs, with potash prices rising progressively over the past two months. By Meghan Yoyotte Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Bangladesh’s BCIC receives two phosacid offers: update

25/03/18

Bangladesh’s BCIC receives two phosacid offers: update

Adds the disqualification of Qmark Group's offer in the second paragraph. Updates the origin offered by Sun International in the third paragraph. London, 18 March (Argus) — State-owned Bangladeshi fertilizer importer and producer BCIC received two offers in its tender to buy 20,000t of 52-54pc P2O5 phosphoric acid, which closed on Monday. Bangladeshi trading firm and newcomer to BCIC phosphoric acid tenders Qmark Group offered the lowest at $633/t cfr, equivalent to $1,172-1,217/t P2O5 cfr. But this offer was disqualified. The origin offered is not known. Trading firm Sun International offered $655.90/t cfr, equivalent to $1,215-1,261/t P2O5 cfr, for South African or Jordanian product. BCIC asked for the cargo to be shipped within 45 days of the receipt of the letters of credit, for delivery to Chattogram. The offers are higher compared with Sun International's offer at $617.76/t cfr — equivalent to $1,144-1,188/t P2O5 cfr — in BCIC's 1 January tender to buy 20,000t of the same grade of acid. They are also above the offers for 52-54pc P2O5 acid to BCIC in November at $620.87-631/t cfr — equivalent to $1,150-1,213/t P2O5 cfr. The lift in offers supports firmer expectations for the Indian phosphoric acid contract price — the global benchmark — for the second quarter, from the first-quarter price of $1,055/t P2O5 cfr India. By Tom Hampson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Bangladesh’s BCIC receives two phosacid offers

25/03/18

Bangladesh’s BCIC receives two phosacid offers

London, 18 March (Argus) — State-owned Bangladeshi fertilizer importer and producer BCIC received two offers in its tender to buy 20,000t of 52-54pc P2O5 phosphoric acid, which closed on Monday. Bangladeshi trading firm and newcomer to BCIC phosphoric acid tenders Qmark Group offered the lowest at $633/t cfr, equivalent to $1,172-1,217/t P2O5 cfr. Trading firm Sun International offered $655.90/t cfr, equivalent to $1,215-1,261/t P2O5 cfr. BCIC asked for the cargo to be shipped within 45 days of the receipt of the letters of credit, for delivery to Chattogram. The origins offered by the two firms are not yet known. The offers are higher compared with Sun International's offer at $617.76/t cfr — equivalent to $1,144-1,188/t P2O5 cfr — in BCIC's 1 January tender to buy 20,000t of the same grade of acid. They are also above the offers for 52-54pc P2O5 acid to BCIC in November at $620.87-631/t cfr — equivalent to $1,150-1,213/t P2O5 cfr. The lift in offers supports firmer expectations for the Indian phosphoric acid contract price — the global benchmark — for the second quarter, from the first-quarter price of $1,055/t P2O5 cfr India. By Tom Hampson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Iranian urea offers fall to $370/t fob, output ramps up

25/03/17

Iranian urea offers fall to $370/t fob, output ramps up

Amsterdam, 17 March (Argus) — Iran's fertilizer producers have reduced their granular urea offers to $370/t fob, down from last week's artificially high levels in the mid to high-$380s/t fob, with output set to return to typical levels after curtailments that have been in place since early December. The offers at $370/t fob are valid for this week. Producers had kept offers notionally high last week in the mid to high-$380s/t fob, but there was no liquidity at these levels and Argus assessed granular urea at $360-370/t fob on 13 March. Producers have yet to return to the market with tenders, but all suppliers have returned plants to full output, including Shiraz's 1.07mn t/yr granular urea unit. Exports are expected to return to more typical rates in April, after suppliers have met domestic and prior commitments. Production was heavily reduced from the first week of December , largely restricted to just one of Pardis' 1.07mn t/yr granular urea units in the following months. The country frequently experiences urea output cuts in winter as domestic heating and gas consumption are prioritised over industrial production. Iran has a total urea production capacity of 9mn t/yr and typically exports around 5mn t/yr. By Harry Minihan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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