Minsk | Reuters — The Belarussian businessman who last week acquired a 20 per cent stake in Russian potash producer Uralkali said on Monday it would be in everyone’s interest to restore an alliance between Uralkali and Belarus, the world’s two biggest potash miners. Uralkali and the Belarussian Potash Co. (BPC) used to co-operate with […] Read more

Uralkali shareholder wants to restore potash alliance

CP offers assurances for 2016-17 grain handle
Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) says it’s ready and willing to move a bumper Prairie crop in 2016-17. “Operationally, CP is eager and prepared to move grain this coming crop year,” company CEO Hunter Harrison said in a letter to federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau. The letter, dated Tuesday, was also circulated to Prairie transportation and […] Read more

Canpotex shelves plans for Prince Rupert terminal
Reuters — Canpotex, the potash export sales arm for PotashCorp, Mosaic Co. and Agrium, said Friday it would not build a planned shipping terminal at Prince Rupert in British Columbia. Canpotex said the decision was based on economic and commercial considerations and that its export capacity in Vancouver, Saint John and Portland were sufficient. PotashCorp […] Read more

N.B. to assess unwanted potash deposit
A potash deposit from which one of the world’s biggest fertilizer companies recently walked away will be the subject of a provincial review for its future potential. The New Brunswick government announced May 11 it will soon finalize a contract to hire a third-party consultant to assess the remaining potash resource, if any, in the […] Read more

Fertilizer prices look to rise by late summer
CNS Canada — A rise in prices for soybeans and other crops could make fertilizer more expensive in the coming months, according to a major player in the industry. In the May market report from the Mosaic Co., the company credited the rally in agricultural commodity prices, the strengthening of key currencies and various Indian […] Read more

CP pulls more grain for less in first quarter
Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) hauled more carloads of Canadian grain in its first quarter of 2016 compared to the same period last year — but for less revenue per car. Calgary-based CP on Wednesday reported overall net income of $540 million on revenues of $1.591 billion for its quarter ending March 31, up from $320 […] Read more

India backstops first phase of Sask. potash mine
Winnipeg | Reuters — India’s Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals has agreed to guarantee payments on US$700 million in debt to finance the first phase of Karnalyte Resources’ Saskatchewan potash mine project, Karnalyte said Monday, adding supply even as other miners cut production. Under the deal, a subsidiary of State Bank of India and other […] Read more

PotashCorp to curb two Sask. mines’ production
Reuters — PotashCorp said Thursday that it will curtail production at two Saskatchewan potash mines for four weeks, as excessive supplies pressure prices. The company said it would curtail output at its Allan and Lanigan mines, about 50 and 110 km southeast of Saskatoon respectively, for four weeks starting March 20. The move is expected […] Read more

Mosaic looks for bargain buys as fertilizer sector slumps
Reuters — U.S. fertilizer company Mosaic Co., grappling with falling prices and profits, is looking for acquisitions that could be bargain-priced in a weak commodity sector. The world’s largest producer of finished phosphate products on Thursday forecast lower selling prices for potash and phosphate in the current quarter. The Plymouth, Minn.-based company also reported fourth-quarter […] Read more

Fertilizer expected to be pricier by springtime
CNS Canada –– Relatively cheap natural gas has helped push down fertilizer prices for Canadian farmers over the past winter, but that should change by springtime. One Manitoba farm leader noted urea fertilizer that went for $545 per tonne last August could now be acquired for $445 per tonne. “Phosphate fertilizer was going for $721 […] Read more