Bad weather hits fertilisers
By Roger Chesher
Thin is how the market was described this week, as appalling weather and higher prices deter purchase of after-cut fertilisers.
Merchants find it hard to evaluate how much of this market is left, but it is clear that this season the blenders have taken a larger market share.
Domestic manufacturers are sticking firmly to their terms with nitrogen creeping up to 118/t this month, albeit with little volume sold.
Hydro have entered into a purchase agreement with Terra Nitrogen (UK) who will supply 34.5% ammonium nitrate prills which the company will market as “Hydroprill”.
This material, estimated to be up to 20,000 tonnes in volume, will support sales of Hydros own manufactured granular nitrogen, imported from Holland, which at 33.5% will be sold at a premium on the basis of its claimed spreading quality.
The terms and conditions for next season (July) have yet to be set. With the days of chromium-plated pavilions at the Royal Show long from gone, a modest tent at the Cereals Event will perhaps be the start of the thinking process!
In Ireland the picture is completely different.
The market is less structured and trust deals continue.
Prices have not firmed as in Britain, and CAN is available at 85-90/t in the north. It has taken a price rise of IR10/t in the south simply to retain CAN prices at IR114-116/t.
The aftercut market in both Northern Ireland and the Republic is dogged by late cuts and bad weather.
Cut Sward (24.6.12) is 115-120/t with its southern equivalent (24.21/2.10) about IR160/t.
Both prices are considered low by local standards.
CURRENT MARKETS
|
Immediate delivery N (SP5) |
New Season (July) Nitrogen |
Imported urea (if available) |
Imported AN |
Blended 20.10.10 & 25.0.16 |
Blended 25.5.5 |
Liquid N, 37kg/100l or 29.6% N/t |
|
£116-118 |
No terms published |
Granular unavailable; prilled 105 |
95 full loads  100 small loads |
£110-112 |
£101-103 |
£115/100,000 litres |
|
NPK |
June, pay cash |
|
Complex 25.5.5 |
110-112 |
|
20.10.10/29.5.5 |
117-119 |
|
17.17.17 |
133-138 |
|
After-cut NK cash |
Budget after-cuts |
TSP (47% P2O5) |
Muriate of Potash (60% K2O) |
|
118 |
110 |
128 |
128 |
IRELAND
|
Imported urea |
CAN |
24.6.12 |
0.16.36 |
Complex compounds |
|
|
Northern Ireland |
Not available |
85-90 |
115-120 |
No market |
115-120 |
|
CAN |
24.21.15 |
Urea, imported |
27.21.25 |
|
|
Republic of Ireland* |
114-116 |
160 |
Not available |
157 |
*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..
*Prices in the Republic are IR
Note All illustrated prices are based on 20-tonne loads for immediate payment. Prices for smaller loads and those with credit terms will vary considerably.
Source: Bridgewater Partnership
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