Recent developments
Nitrogen supply dynamics
Brazil’s nitrogen footprint expanded as Petrobras resumed urea at Araucária Nitrogenados and approved construction restart of UFN III for 2029. Yara reported higher margins amid Hormuz-related supply shocks disrupting urea flows. Infrastructure shifted with thyssenkrupp Uhde winning FEED for Brunei Fertilizer’s export expansion and OCI Global divesting its Rotterdam ammonia terminal to AGROFERT, while SABIC disclosed potential feedstock allocation that could lift its urea capacity by 54%.
Portfolio moves and results
Earnings signaled mixed ag exposures: BASF’s Q1 showed volume growth but lower prices in Agricultural Solutions, while Croda Q1 sales indicated weaker Crop Protection. Portfolio reshaping continued as dsm‑firmenich sold Action Pin. Engineering demand persisted; MAIRE’s Nextchem booked licenses and proprietary equipment across nitrates, urea and SAF, supporting a larger backlog.
Low‑carbon and digital
BASF and Nutrien launched a program using xarvio tools to document carbon intensity for biofuel feedstocks. BASF closed the acquisition of AgBiTech to expand biological insect control and committed €40m to upgrade the renewable‑powered Nunhem seed site. Topsoe signed FEED for a green ammonia project in Jordan targeting exports to fertilizer markets.
Inputs and critical minerals
LKAB advanced its Luleå demonstration plant to recover phosphorus and rare earths from iron‑ore streams and reported a major mineral‑resource increase including phosphorus and REEs. On the specialty side, Saltigo and Synthos AGRO highlighted formulation and custom synthesis at Chemspec, while AGC Pharma Chemicals received CDMO recognition relevant to agrochemical intermediates.