Urea
Local demand for granular urea slowed down after weeks of strong contracting activity, but offers strengthened off-ricing international free on board (FOB) prices.
Argus last assessed granular urea at A$810-830/t fca Geelong. The market is adapting to the current international FOB prices, and some business of older supply is occurring at lower levels.
The widely anticipated Indian urea tender was announced on 7 February, seeking 1.5 million tonnes of urea for loading on 31 March. The announcement further supported high international FOB prices.
There is 137,000t of urea in transit to Australia across four vessels, two from the UAE and two from Malaysia, vessel tracking data from Kpler show.
Phosphates
The domestic MAP/DAP market has slowed, but more demand is expected.
Domestic supply could become short because of shipment delays from Jorf Lasfar in Morocco caused by bad weather. One vessel successfully loaded and departed carrying 60,000t of MAP to Australia, Kpler data show. But another vessel carrying 60,900t of MAP left the port on 27 January and remains outside the port.
Australia’s MAP and urea imports fall in 2025
Australia's MAP and urea imports fell in 2025 by 1% and 4%, respectively, from the previous year, but monthly volumes fluctuated sharply because of weather patterns and international factors.
Australia's urea imports declined by 4% to 3.7 million tonnes in 2025 from 2024, and MAP imports fell by just 1% to 1.47 million tonnes, import data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show.
Commentary and pricing supplied by Argus Media
Disclaimer: The information provided in this report is general in nature and is intended for informational purposes only.