Reuters — North America’s two biggest potash producers, PotashCorp and Mosaic Co., reported larger first-quarter profits on Thursday, but results missed expectations. Saskatoon-based PotashCorp, the world’s biggest fertilizer maker by market capitalization, cut its full-year profit forecast, and both companies warned potash prices could slide. Prices are yet to recover after a collapse in 2013, […] Read more
PotashCorp, Mosaic profits climb less than expected
Mosaic bracing for royalty hit from Sask. potash policy
U.S. fertilizer firm Mosaic Co. expects Saskatchewan’s new changes to its potash royalty structure to cost the company up to an extra US$100 million in 2015. Minnesota-based Mosaic said Monday its “expected impact” from Saskatchewan’s retroactive move in its 2015 budget will increase the company’s 2015 pre-tax payments by $80 million to $100 million (all […] Read more
Saskatchewan aims to ease potash tax’s price reliance
Winnipeg | Reuters — Resource-rich Saskatchewan wants to change the taxes it charges on production of potash, to better reflect output and lessen the influence of potash prices, the province’s economy minister said Thursday. Potash prices have weakened since 2012 as capacity has increased. Competition has also sharpened since the 2013 breakup of Belarusian Potash […] Read more
Sask. budget trims ag spending slightly
A substantial drop in provincial resource revenue from its oil sector has Saskatchewan holding the line on spending and leaning on its potash sector in its 2015 budget. Finance Minister Ken Krawetz and Ag Minister Lyle Stewart on Wednesday announced a total ag ministry budget of $362.4 million for 2015-16, down 2.5 per cent from […] Read more
Mosaic fast-tracking Esterhazy potash mine expansion
U.S. fertilizer firm Mosaic Co. has put expansion work at its southeastern Saskatchewan potash mining site on an “accelerated” timeline. Mosaic, which said in 2008 it would invest $1.7 billion to add 1.8 million tonnes of capacity at its Esterhazy, Sask. site by 2020, now plans to have its new “K3” satellite mine delivering potash […] Read more
Russia’s Uralkali to invest US$4.5B to stay potash No. 1
Moscow | Reuters –– Russia’s Uralkali will invest US$4.5 billion over the next five years to raise production capacity by 30 per cent, aiming to remain the world’s largest potash company despite a setback at a major mine. Uralkali’s capacity to produce potash, a crop nutrient, came into focus after it halted production at the […] Read more
PotashCorp’s profit beats on higher potash sales
Reuters — PotashCorp, the world’s biggest fertilizer company by market capitalization, reported higher-than-expected quarterly profit on strong potash sales, but its 2015 outlook disappointed. Saskatoon-based PotashCorp sold 2.5 million tonnes of potash, the most ever in a fourth quarter and up 42 per cent year over year. Its average realized potash price was $284 per […] Read more
Fertilizer prices stray away from corn influence: Analyst
CNS Canada — Foreign exports and transportation look like they could be the main issues facing the fertilizer industry in 2015. Countries such as Ukraine, Russia and Belarus are busy players on the market, with Morocco also ramping up production. As a result, more supplies of phosphates and other fertilizers are out there, according to […] Read more
Fertilizer firm Mosaic forecasts bigger-than-expected Q4 profit
Reuters — U.S. fertilizer company Mosaic Co. on Monday estimated it would post a larger fourth-quarter profit than expected and surpassed its targets for phosphate sales. Mosaic, the world’s largest producer of finished phosphate products and North America’s second-biggest potash producer, said it expects to earn 93 to 98 cents per share in the quarter […] Read more
Agrium restarts potash output at Sask. mine
Fertilizer and ag retail giant Agrium has restarted potash production at its west-central Saskatchewan mine after a months-long expansion-related shutdown. Calgary-based Agrium said Wednesday its site at Vanscoy, about 25 km southwest of Saskatoon, is back in business after completion of what it called a “major turnaround” to tie in a one million-tonne expansion project. […] Read more
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