Nitrogen
Overview
The ease of urea availability east and west of Suez has shaped the current trade flows of this key nitrogen fertilizer. Despite challenges posed by energy prices and military conflicts, key import markets such as India, Australia, and Latin America remain robust. But structural oversupply and the role of China as a swing exporter have led to price volatility as this fast-moving market seeks equilibrium, more so during seasonally high-demand periods.
Our extensive nitrogen coverage includes prilled and granular urea, UAN, ammonium nitrate, and ammonium sulphate. Argus has many decades of experience covering the nitrogen market and incorporates our multi-commodity market expertise in key areas including ammonia and natural gas to provide the full market narrative.
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Latest nitrogen news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global nitrogen industry.
US nitrogen markets increasingly rely on Russia
US nitrogen markets increasingly rely on Russia
Houston, 28 May (Argus) — US nitrogen markets have become increasingly reliant on Russian imports, raising concerns over potential new tariffs or sanctions on Russia, but so far US president Donald Trump has said he has no intention of taking such measures. Russia's market share of US urea imports grew to 64pc in May after Trump imposed a 10pc tariff on imports to the US except from Russia and other sanctioned countries. Argus estimates vessel imports to the US in May at about 520,000 metric tonnes (t), 64pc of which are coming from Russia, although a couple vessels may end up delivering in June. Prior to May, Russian product made up 31pc or 1.26mn t of 4mn t of vessel imports this fertilizer year, which runs from July through June, according to US Census Bureau data and Argus estimates. After the announcement of tariffs on 2 April the New Orleans barge market strengthened by $130/st or 34pc to a two-and-a-half-year high of $460-555/st fob by 6 May, even with access to non-tariffed Russian product. Russia, the largest of just a few origins for UAN across the global market, also continues to be the largest source of US UAN imports, representing about 62pc or 963,000t of 1.53mn t of waterborne imports July through May. The US UAN market relies less on imports compared to urea because the US has more UAN production capacity. Access to non-tariffed Russian product dampened the impact of tariffs on the US nitrogen market but there are increasing concerns among traders that the US' one source of non-tariffed imports could dry up. Trump showed increasing signs of impatience with Russia over continuing the conflict in Ukraine after concluding a two hour phone call with Russian president Vladamir Putin last week. Despite saying that "Putin is playing with fire" in a social media post, Trump today said he would not impose new sanctions on Russia, adding that it may jeopardize a ceasefire agreement that he claimed could be ready within two weeks. Trump's evolving relationship with Russia, alongside ongoing tariff negotiations with select countries, complicates the upcoming nitrogen summer fill program in the US. More expensive imports give domestic producers more leverage in price negotiations, while the possibility of tariffs being lifted may cause buyers to push purchases to a later date. But for now, Russia's increasing share of US nitrogen imports is likely to continue, especially after the European Parliament adopted additional tariffs proposed by the European Commission on Russian and Belarusian fertilizers. The new tariffs from the EU should incentivize Russian exporters to send more product to the US. By Calder Jett Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Major Turkmen plant to restart urea production
Major Turkmen plant to restart urea production
Amsterdam, 27 May (Argus) — The 1.1mn t/yr Garabogaz granular urea plant in Turkmenistan restarted ammonia output today, with urea production due to return later this week, following an outage since February. The restart coincides with the sale of 1mn t of Garabogaz granular urea to a trading firm for delivery to Europe over the next 18 months, priced on formula. Garabogaz is the largest urea plant in Central Asia and a key supplier for granular urea exports from the Black Sea, typically from Georgian ports. The plant's outage since February has confined granular urea availability from Central Asia to product from Socar's 600,000 t/yr plant in Azerbaijan, as well as small lots from Uzbekistan, supporting prices in the region and fob levels in north Africa. Turkmenistan's current total granular urea capacity is 2.25mn-2.3mn t/yr. Construction is understood to have started last week at the 1.155mn t/yr granular urea Turkmenbashi project, with the plant expected on line in 2029. By Harry Minihan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Polish fertilizer output falls to 10-month low in April
Polish fertilizer output falls to 10-month low in April
London, 27 May (Argus) — Polish fertilizer production fell to its lowest monthly level in 10 months in April on the back of low nitrogen production, figures released by statistics office GUS show. Nitrogen, phosphate and potash output on a nutrient basis reached a combined 181,500t in April, a decline by 4pc on the year and by 19pc on the month, according to GUS data. Despite the weak April, overall year-to-date nutrient volumes remained 8pc up on the year at 809,000t. In April the decline in output was mainly caused by a slump in nitrogen production, which fell by 12pc on the year and by 19pc on the month to 136,600t. Two nitrogen plants, Anwil's Wloclawek and Grupa Azoty's Tarnow plant, reported outages in April, with the Anwil outage continuing until 20 May. Anwil's parent company Orlen said last week its expansion of Anwil's nitrogen production capacity by 40pc — about 495,000t/yr — to a total of nearly 1.5mn t/yr has not yet been commissioned, with the start of full capacity currently expected in summer this year. Grupa Azoty, Poland's largest fertilizer manufacturer, continues to have parts of its operations affected by shutdowns, according to its Remit notices issued within the EU's market transparency regulations. The company's NPK-specialist plant in Police in northwest Poland is undergoing a "balancing shutdown", reducing its capacity by about one third from 10 May until the end of this month. Azoty's plant in Tarnow, which has been operating at a reduced rate for several months, will fully shut its production for planned maintenance in the first three weeks of June. And Azoty's plant I Kedzierzyn is planning a maintenance shutdown between 24 August and 18 September. By Tomasz Stepien Polish fertilizer output (per nutrient) Apr-25 ±% April -24 Nitrogen 137 -12 Phosphate 20 -3 Potash 25 73 Source: Gus Poland fertilizer output.pdf Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Dry conditions cut South Australian fertilizer use
Dry conditions cut South Australian fertilizer use
Sydney, 21 May (Argus) — Around half of the growers in South Australia (SA) are using less fertilizer this season on the back of very dry weather conditions, according to a seeding intentions survey by Grain Producers South Australia (GPSA). The survey also showed seeding has been delayed, with 64pc of growers saying they had not started seeding by Anzac Day on 25 April, historically seen as the benchmark to have seeding completed or at least started. Urea imports into South Australia were 329,091t last year, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, breaching 300,000t for the first time since records began. Urea imports in the first quarter of this year were 54,220t, slightly lower than the same period of last year. Most of South Australia's urea imports occur in the second quarter of each year, with 201,763t arriving in that period last year. Projections from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) show there is less than a 50pc chance of above-average rainfall in most regions of Australia in May-June . South and Western Australia have been particularly dry this season. "Growers are taking a conservative approach to fertilizer," said GPSA chief executive Brad Perry. A grain producer commented in the survey that "not only is the season tough but there is no let up on input costs either." A similar situation is unfolding in the state of Victoria, where the market remains slow and growers are concerned about getting seeds in the ground. Market participants said the lack of rainfall could impact top-dressing urea application and lower demand across the state by 5-20pc. Buy and sell side indications for local granular urea prices have diverged since the start of May, and transactions have become limited. Granular urea was last assessed at A$765-780/t fca Geelong (see graph) . The BoM is forecasting rainfall across southeastern Victoria, most of South Australia and the southeastern coast in June, which should boost demand for urea and prices. By Susannah Cornford and Tom Woodlock Granular urea fca Geelong (A$/t) Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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