Soil Nutrition Market Update Before Spring Planting
As spring planting approaches, the agricultural market is seeing significant movement in production and pricing. TerraNu® and Bio-Cal® are ramping up operations to meet growing demand, with shipments continuing despite winter conditions. Meanwhile, the NPK market is experiencing notable shifts—nitrogen prices are soaring, phosphate prices remain steady but elevated, and potash prices are rising.
TerraNu
Production continues in preparations for spring planting needs. January saw about 1,200 ton of TerraNu ship out from the production facility. We anticipate about 900 ton to ship in February if weather will cooperate, and volumes will only go up from there.
Bio-Cal
January, normally a quiet month, was active with shipments and application as weather permitted. The Midwestern BioAg production team is busy conditioning ingredients for spring production to keep up with demand.
NPK Market
Nitrogen
All sources of nitrogen have increased in price dramatically in the last month. High Natural gas prices in Europe caused the cost of production of nitrogen fertilizers to be too expensive to produce. Increases in the corn price and anticipated corn acres have expectations for an increase demand this spring. AMS demand continues to increase as sulfur continues to be a valued nutrient in corn and increasingly for soybeans as well. This increased demand has supported tighter supply and the higher prices.
Phosphates
Prices remain stable but still a premium compared to Nitrogen and Potash. U.S. prices at NOLA remain lower than world market averages reducing the attractiveness of US markets to imports. Expect at least another spring at the current levels.
Potash
Potash pricing moved upward dramatically since the beginning of the month. Tariffs being on then off but maybe back on has caused uneasiness in the market. Potash producers ended a fill program this past week and took prices up $25 per ton effective immediately after the end of the fill. Tariffs being possible at the end of the month could cause prices to increase again.