September nitrogen price finally released

Despite the flat early nitrogen market, the price of domestic ammonium nitrate has now risen, as expected, by 2/t.

This places Nitram and Nitraprill at 112-114/t delivered on-farm in large loads, although some merchants, operating at “suicidal” margins have offered a pound or two less.

Extran, being less concentrated at 33.5%, will be around 109/t.

So far, this market is mirroring the events of last season, and we could reasonably anticipate another 2/t for October if this pattern is set.

Trade of imported nitrogen is quiet at present, although granular urea, where available, remains a good buy.

Nitrogen and Sulphur top-dressing products have also moved to 112-114/t, but reports of a shortage of granular ammonium sulphate in Europe could well add another 3 or so in the near future.

The autumn PK market remains firm in price, but low in volume. Many agronomists are now expressing real concern about missing out autumn potash, although producers still have a chance to catch up by top dressing these nutrients in the spring.

Grassland fertiliser prices remain stable, but could well drop slightly during a suppliers push for volume before the market is restructured in October.

In the industry, Kemira Oyj, parent of Kemira Fertilisers, has joined with two Swedish companies to form a giant Nordic Specialty Group.

Whilst this dilutes the importance of fertiliser in the new group as a whole, the situation of Kemira fertilisers in the UK remains, as yet, unchanged.

IRELAND