Calum Findlay, ADM Agriculture’s head of fertiliser, comments on the fertiliser market

The Ukraine/Russia situation has sent global fertiliser markets sharply higher.

Ukraine is a producer and major supplier of ammonia, but more worryingly to most, Russia is the world’s number one exporter of ammonium nitrate, urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), ammonia and urea.

Today’s news has sent prices of European and UK natural gas, the main feedstock used by manufacturers across Europe, over 30% higher.

With the cancellation of the Nord Stream 2 certification also seen earlier this week, all energy costs now have entered a period of much uncertainty.

The market remains tight and behind where it would normally be entering March, so all pricing is now set to move higher.

UK stock levels of nitrogenous fertilisers are low and the likelihood of fresh vessels arriving is small, given availability and pricing. 

Liquid UAN terms are withdrawn at present.