General Market
Whether as a result of production and staffing issues as a result of Covid-19 or just the inevitable catch-up of ordering following the wet winter and early spring, CF moved next available terms to May. Yara could be expected to follow early this week. This leaves two full weeks as a minimum lead time for fresh orders. This also comes at a time when some shippers are close to selling out on imports such as Ammonium Nitrate, Ammonium Sulphate and Urea. N:S compounds however appear readily available as the reduction on Oilseed Rape areas has reduced demand.
Limus
As the temperature warms up, and ground conditions get drier, a good option to look at this spring could be inhibited Urea. This could be particularly useful with the increase in spring crops this season. Nitrogen can be lost as ammonia following application of urea. The amount of nitrogen that can be lost is dependent on conditions post application. Factors that increase the risk of ammonia losses are, warm temperatures; dry soils; less than 10mm of rainfall in 48 hours and alkaline soils. COFCO has partnered with BASF to supply the urease inhibitor Limus® alongside our usual top-quality urea. Limus® can reduce these losses by up to 98%, improving nitrogen use efficiency on farm while reducing ammonia emissions.
What Makes Limus® Unique
Urea is not readily plant available and first needs to be converted into ammonium then to nitrate. This is done by urease enzymes in the soil that bind to the urea. Without sufficient rainfall post application, the ammonium concentration around the urea granule increases, leading to a localised increase in soil pH. This converts the ammonium to ammonia gas. Urease inhibitors temporarily bind to these enzymes, preventing the localised pH spike and reducing the losses of ammonia. However, different urease enzymes require different urease inhibitors. Limus® is the only urease inhibitor available with two active ingredients (NBPT and NPPT), enabling it to bind to a wider variety of urease enzymes and more effectively minimise losses.
Storage Stability
There have been articles in the press questioning the storage stability of urease inhibitors of which there are several on the market. COFCO Granular Urea treated with Limus® offers more than 12 months storage stability. Limus® contains BASF patented polymer technology, providing excellent active ingredient stability and performance. Limus® is stable for more than 12 months on urea, giving confidence that even if purchased a year in advance, Limus® will still work effectively. For more details speak to your Farm Trader or call Russ Davison on 07825 925485.
Economic Data as at close on Friday 17th April v (9th April 2020) £ = $1.2504 ($ 1.2456) £ = € 1.1499 (€ 1.1394) Crude Oil = $ 28.08 ($ 31.19) Natural Gas = $1.75 ($1.77) Please treat pricing on graphs as a guide, please use quote request form for an up to date price.