Fert makers steady market
FINE TUNING has resulted in prices for ammonium nitrate being pegged a little with plans to offer domestic product at £155/t until April.
This is designed to stimulate a steady uptake until the end of the season, but any disruption to the supply/demand equation could still change things before the usage period.
Compound fertilisers should still attract a £1.50 per month premium through to April, making the popular 25.5.5 product £154/t now and £157/t by the end of March.
This structure is designed to stimulate early movement of such products.
Liquid nitrogen for the February tank fill is selling for around £142/m³ of UAN (urea-ammonium nitrate at 37% by volume).
Enthusiasts for liquid systems will base their choice on accuracy and convenience. The opposite view is that liquid users miss out on exploiting variations in pricing.
The first fill of liquid tanks around November, which accounts for 60,000 tonnes (20% of the liquid market), was pumped in at £138/m3. This season therefore, the variation has not been too great over the solid nitrogen price at the time.
Farm gate sales continue to be extremely quiet with huge variations amongst merchants in their estimates of the volume of compound business yet to be achieved.
The quiet period continues to sap the confidence of importers to commit to cargoes.
CURRENT PRICES (£/t)
Nitrogen (Domestic) N (SP5) 34.5% | Domestic AN Spring | Imported urea. | Imported AN Lithuan | Blended | Blended | Liquid | |||||||||||
Jan £155 | Feb £155 Mar £155 | £195 granular | £147 where available | £150 | From £146 | £142 | |||||||||||
NPK | Jan (add £3 for March) | Imported 27.6.6 | Imported | |||||||||
Complex 25.5.5 | £154 | No supplies | No supplies | |||||||||
15.15.20 | £169 |
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20.10.10/ 27.5.5 | £158 |
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17.17.17 | £174 |
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| Trace elements | 0.24.24 | TSP (47%P2O5) | Muriate of Potash (60%K2O) |
| Copper, zinc, selenium, cobalt Iodine and sodium Per acre pack £11.10 | Blended £126-135 | £150 | £130 |
Ireland
Benchmark prices. Compounds out of season.
| Urea, existing stocks only | CAN | 24.6.12 aftercut | 25.5.5
| Complex compounds |
Northern | £200 | £150 | £175-180 (anticipated) | £165-175 | £175-180 |
Republic of | CAN, large price variations | 24.2½.10 blend | Urea | 27. 2.5 . 5 | |
| €220 | €240-250+ | €270-280 (dependant on source and quality) | €240-250+ (CCF) €240 import blend | |
*Note in the Republic of Ireland nutrients are expressed as elements not oxides. Analyses will not be directly comparable with those used in the UK.
Note All illustrated prices are based upon 24 tonne loads for immediate payment. Prices for smaller loads and those with credit terms will vary considerably.
Source: Bridgewater
