UREA Services to the Industry
The world’s most comprehensive information and analysis services for the urea industry
- Weekly market/price reports
- Monthly market analysis and price forecasts
- Quarterly medium/long term analysis
- Historical and forecast data services
An integrated information and analysis service
The urea market is one of the more complex components of the fertilizer industry. Urea production costs are extremely sensitive to feedstock costs - generally natural gas and the quantum changes that have taken place in energy pricing since the break-up of the USSR have had wide-ranging effects on the urea industry. Import demand levels have fluctuated widely in recent years, leading to sharp price movements. Often there are large discrepancies between fob prices and delivered levels, a reflection of the rapid regional swings that can take place in the market.
Surprisingly, given the general focus of the market, traded urea makes up a relatively small part of total urea production - just over one quarter - and most production is consumed in the country of output. This is particularly true in China and India, both of which normally produce some 80% of their own requirements. Thus, urea trade could be considered marginal to consumers. However, the fact remains that China and India, the world’s two largest urea users, as well as many smaller consumers depend on imported product for a significant portion of their requirements. Relatively small changes in supply and demand in the major producing and consuming countries can have a major impact on trade levels. Over the next few years there will be some major changes in the pattern of supply and demand, and keeping on top of these developments will be essential for anyone involved in the urea market, whether on a short-term or long-term basis.
FERTECON Limited, with its comprehensive services ranging from weekly market reports through regular analysis and price forecasts to long-term strategic analysis and data services, provides an unrivalled, integrated information package for anyone involved in the urea industry. FERTECON can also provide confidential consultancy services on urea, and has also produced a series of major multi-client supply/demand studies.
FERTECON’s Urea Team
Terry Phillips is a director of FERTECON Limited and is responsible for its consultancy services. He has over 25 years’ experience in the fertilizer industry, specialising in technical and economic studies on the nitrogen industry. He has prepared numerous studies on the ammonia and urea industries. He also prepares the Outlook report. Christine Gregory is one of the world’s most experienced fertilizer current information analysts and prepares FERTECON’s weekly nitrogen fax report and the Urea Futures report.
Vivien Bright, a director of FERTECON and the company’s senior ammonia analyst also makes a major contribution to FERTECON’s urea services and has particular experience on the Former Soviet Union. Barrie Bain, a director of FERTECON, is head of the company’s current information section. FERTECON’s computerised database, which is managed by Haley Rowe, is the leading independent source of detailed urea industry statistics.
Information and analysis services
- FERTECON Weekly Market Report
FERTECON’s weekly market report, available by fax or e-mail, is the most respected source in the industry of detailed, accurate information on current market and price developments. Each report contains a full page of key urea price and freight rate indications. As well as providing comprehensive coverage of the week’s market and price developments, each report includes a concise analysis of the factors influencing the market. - FERTECON Urea Futures
This unique report, issued monthly, is designed to provide subscribers with a comprehensive analysis of short-term developments in the urea market. Each issue analyses the recent supply/demand balance and the outlook for the coming months. Feedstock and production costs for the major export suppliers are analysed. A detailed six-month price forecast is presented for the key export and import indications. There is extensive use of graphs and charts and the report contains a full-page data file detailing urea market and futures prices, freight rate indications, gas prices, fertilizer prices and key exchange rates. - FERTECON Urea Outlook
FERTECON’s quarterly Urea Outlook report is an invaluable medium and long-term planning tool for anyone involved in the urea industry. Reports are issued four times a year and are generally around 100 pages in length. Each report includes an analysis of market developments over the previous three months and expected market trends in the short and medium term. The most recent production, consumption and trade data for each supplier and buyer are presented and set in the context of the overall market. A fifteen-year historical price series, (with prices by quarter) is presented with forecasts of annual average prices through to 2020. A major part of each issue is the presentation of the outlook for supply, demand and prices through to the year 2020. Each issue includes an Appendix with tables of urea production, trade and consumption by country for 2000-2020, detailed trade matrices for the most recent years and comprehensive plant and project lists of urea facilities. - Nitrogen Fertilizer Data File
FERTECON’s Nitrogen Fertilizer Data File is published quarterly and provides a unique resource of data and forecasts on urea and other nitrogen fertilizers. It is designed to present important data and trends clearly and concisely covering comprehensive data on a product and country basis. The report, which covers the period 1981-2020, is divided into four sections: World Summaries, Country/Regional Balances, Product Balances and Historical Prices from 1980. Changes since the last report are highlighted. - Urea Multi-Client Studies/Consultancy Services
FERTECON offers single client, confidential consultancy services on all aspects of the urea industry from marketing and distribution studies to full feasibility studies for world-scale projects. FERTECON has prepared reports for projects throughout the world. FERTECON also produces multi-client reports on various aspects of the urea industry.