News and industry insights on Chemicals for agriculture, including fertilizers, pesticides, and crop protection products.
Fertilizer trade was disrupted by the Middle East conflict and blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, tightening urea supply and lifting prices, while Yara sustained output. Seven MDBs pledged support to safeguard energy and fertilizer access, and the European Commission launched a Fertiliser Action Plan.
Brazil raised domestic nitrogen supply as Petrobras restarted Fafen‑BA and resumed urea at Ansa. SABIC signaled potential urea capacity expansion subject to feedstock allocation. Feedstock diversification advanced with Fluor’s feasibility for the Woodsmith polyhalite mine and LKAB’s Luleå permitting and demonstration progress for phosphorus and rare earths.
Project activity remained firm: MAIRE announced about €1.3bn in new awards, including urea plant licensing, and its Nextchem won licensing and a PDP for a urea‑to‑DEF unit in Virginia. Separately, thyssenkrupp Uhde will deliver FEED for Brunei Fertilizer Industries’ ammonia export expansion.
BASF scaled biologicals by commissioning the BioHub fermentation plant in Ludwigshafen. To enable low‑CI biofuel markets, BASF partnered with Nutrien and with Arva to verify field‑level CI for 45Z‑eligible grain and streamline traceability for biorefineries.
Strategic and market signals included BASF’s Winning Ways program targeting core simplification and fixed‑cost cuts, a resilient BASF Q1 with lower prices in Agricultural Solutions, Croda’s softer Crop Protection demand, dsm‑firmenich’s Action Pin divestment, and Yara’s nomination of Helge Lund as Chair.
Top 5 companies involved as owner and/or investor in current and planned Agrochemicals projects:
Dangote , Hynfra , Fidelity Group , and Starck International .
