Ammonium sulphate: International market trend of ammonium sulphate in the 5th week of October 2018
Source: Zhongyu Information Date: 2018-11-2 16:53:16
10.25-11.1 International Market Trends (from foreign sources)
Brazilian buyers are confirming the last batch of goods in the safrinha season. Prices in China have remained stable while European sellers are looking for higher prices. Turkey has finally seen a new buying interest, and if demand is determined, it will help to maintain global price stability next month.
Baltic/Black Sea: The supply of ammonium sulphate remains tight as producers supply the local market rather than export. Quotations are rare, and traders who want to export ammonium sulphate from sellers without port channels require a minimum fob of $160/ton.
Northwestern Europe: Compound fertilizer manufacturers began to discuss the number of contracts for 2019 and the number of deliveries for November/December. Due to the lack of FSU exports, coupled with some turnarounds in Europe, the standard grade of ammonium sulphate in the region is quite tight. Ukraine no longer buys goods from Russia, and high demand in Ukraine has tightened supplies in Poland and Belarus. The new single standard ammonium sulfate price is $150/ton FOB Northwest Europe, and some have been sold. The euro is quoted at 125-130 euros/ton FOB North West Europe, while the buying price is at 120 euros/ton FOB. The standard ammonium sulfate price sold to Brazil is as low as $130/ton FOB Northwest Europe. European pellet prices are stable at $175-185/t fob Antwerp. This week, the G3 grade ammonium sulphate in the Benelux market was quoted at €215/tonne CIF, while the G2 was not available until February. The net sales of granular products to Brazil are still around $185/ton. However, European producers will seek to ship the next shipment to Brazil at a higher level in December.
Turkey: This week’s credit line continues to widen, so buying interest is improving. Gubretas will bid for 20,000 tons of pellets and 30,000 tons of caprolactam-grade ammonium sulfate on November 2. According to reports, China’s ammonium sulfate price is 150 US dollars / ton cfr, including 180 days of credit, unpaid tariffs. This week, the Turkish market sold another 30,000 tons at a similar price level.
Brazil: European suppliers have traded $205-210/tonne CFR and are seeking to sell the final item for $215/tonne CFR in December. China’s extruded granular ammonium sulfate price range is 190-200 US dollars / ton cfr, the price depends on the quality, but there are some quotes as low as 185 US dollars / ton cfr. There are rumors this week that a 30,000-ton cargo ship from China will be put on the market. However, there is no indication that bargains are putting pressure on prices. The standard ammonium sulfate trade price this week is $155-160/ton. According to the latest data, as of mid-December, there will be nearly 530,000 tons of ammonium sulphate among the 16 vessels arriving at the Brazilian port. Compared with last week, it has increased by about 70,000 tons. China’s ammonium sulphate continues to dominate, accounting for more than 90% of the total. Dreymoor loaded 42,000 tons of ammonium sulphate for two Brazilian ports this week at Shrike in Yantai, China. In mid-November, LANXESS will load 30,000 tons of standard and granular ammonium sulphate in Antwerp.
China: China’s caprolactam-grade ammonium sulfate price is strong at 117-119 US dollars / ton FOB this week. Manufacturers are quoting at $120/ton FOB and above, but traders/buyers are not willing to pay. The price of ammonium chloride continues to rise and the demand for ammonium sulfate increases. However, due to overhaul of several factories such as Haili, Juhua and Sinopec, there is very little supply of ammonium sulfate. Some producers are priced at $160-162/tonne FOB for granular ammonium sulfate, but the purchase intention price is still at the low price of $150/ton FOB.
Malaysia: China’s 6,000 tons of caprolactam-grade ammonium sulphate delivered to Lahad Datu in November is priced at $140/tonne CFR. The price of MMA grade ammonium sulfate is still around $120/ton CFR.
