Calum Findlay, Gleadell’s fertiliser manager, comments on the markets

Ammonium nitrate

Earlier this week Yara increased prices in mainland Europe by €18/t, as concerns mount over the availability of AN-based products.

In the UK, imported AN remains limited and what is available is trading at similar levels to UK product.

CF Fertilisers still has a January offer for Nitram and Double Top.  This is likely to be withdrawn soon as the January book is almost full.

With a substantial amount of fertiliser still to be ordered, we would advise all growers to manage their forward purchasing and focus on securing supplies, locking into early ordering throughout December.

Granular urea

Global markets have been quiet this week as traders await signs of market direction over the coming months.

With significant demand still to come, manufacturers believe that buying will pick up in the new year, providing a further lift in prices.

Granular urea values in the UK have eased slightly, reflecting the global market, but product remains tight and importers are wary of shipping fresh product at these high replacement values.