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Snows Deter Fertilizer Season Long, rugged winter puts sales generally a month behind normal, but season-long outfook is optimistic As March came to an end, fertilizer producers and most of their customers were still waiting for the growing season to begin. For instead of sunshine and robins, the nation was greeted with four late-winter blizzards in a row. Whirling out of the TexasOklahoma Panhandles, the storms covered almost everything east of that area with mountains of snow. And with below-freezing weather continuing in most of the nation's major crop areas, plant food makers are experiencing two- to six-week delays in their sales season. A happy exception: the West Coast. Although season-long estimates of
fertilizer consumption are fairly optimistic—up 5 to 10% in the Midwest, the same as a year ago or a bit better in the South, and an 8 to 10% hike out West—some markets are already lost. Examples: Winter wheat, which normally consumes a lot of nitrogen during March, and possibly oats, are easily a month behind. Only the West Coast, the extreme southern U.S., and, oddly, the extreme northern sections have an on-time fertilizer movement. January was wet along the West Coast, and sales suffered. But sales in dry February made up the slight loss, and movement has been brisk ever since. Nitrogen mate-
rials, especially urea, are big there. Estimates made by basic producers of fertilizer materials (nitrogen, phosphates, and potash) run ahead of those given by fertilizer manufacturers (or mixers). Mixers market in small areas and are up against more extreme market fluctuations than are the basic suppliers, who sell over wide areas. The optimistic seasonal forecast is wholly dependent upon favorable weather—emphasis on the "favorable." If the weather 'breaks, most of the problems will resolve into one big concern: keeping up production to meet heavy demand. Right now, fertilizer makers have used up all their available storage space, can't produce any more until this inventory begins to move. Long range optimism was evident at International Minerals & Chemical's advisory board meeting in still snowcovered Skokie, Ill., and in a C&EN spot-check of fertilizer producers. IM&C's advisory board consists of top executives of a dozen fertilizer manufacturers. Twice a year the group meets to advise IM&C, a basic producer, on industry trends. The board's consensus: Fertilizer sales this year (ending June 30) should equal or better those of 1958-59, a record year.
Weather Delays Fertilizer Season Throughout Much of U.S.
Slight Delay
four to Six Weeks Delay
Weather delays the fertilizer season—as much as six weeks behind normal for the eastern half of the U.S. Here's how various regions check in ...
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Weak Spots Are Few. Certain limited sections of the country won't get up as high as the national predictions. For example, northeastern Arkansas and Missouri's "boot-heel," normally strong markets, won't come up to last year's totals unless the area's sales season starts now, according to Laney G. Black of Ark-Mo Plant Food (Coming, Ark.). Generally, though, most of the firms represented at the IM&C meeting find their markets at least as strong as before. Typical forecasts: • Northeast (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania)—fertilizer use will at least equal 1959, despite a loss of farm acreage to metropolitan and highway expansions. Greatest potential: grass fertilization. • Midwest—fertilizer sales up 5%, possibly as much as 10% in sections. Slightly less corn acreage may be planted, which could cut down fertilizer sales growth. • Middle Atlantic states—not much 1960 growth; final results depend on government supports, weather, and selling prices. • Midsouth and South—sales should equal 1959's, may be slightly better. Best Sellers. Throughout the country, nitrogen holds promise for the greatest growth. Anhydrous ammonia continues as the most popular nitrogen fertilizer. Last season, 2.6 million tons of nitrogen were used in direct application. Of this, anhydrous accounted for 555,000 tons, which translates into over 675,000 tons of anhydrous ammonia. A projected 6 to 10% increase in anhydrous use will put it even
farther ahead of ammonium nitrate, its nearest competitor in terms of actual nitrogen. More than 1.27 million tons of nitrate was sold last year, equalling 430,000 tons of nitrogen. Some of this, however, went into nonfertilizer markets. Ammonium nitrate prediction for 1960: up 5% over-all. Ammonium nitrate would grow at a faster rate if it were not for urea. In 1959's growing season, about 107,000 tons of urea were sold. A large portion went into nitrogen solutions, most of the remainder for direct application. Ammonium sulfate's outlook is unsure. The Midwest will likely consume more than it did a year ago. Capacity there is up about 5 % , and usage may pick up as much. In the South and Southwest, though, sulfate sales may not improve much. Potash (as potassium chloride) consumption, according to IM&C, should continue its healthy growth, averaging over 7% a year during the sixties. Last year's consumption rose 12.5% to 407,000 tons. Meanwhile, triple superphosphate's growth during 1958-59 slipped from a year earlier, may not recover fully during 1960's growing season. But in the West, triple is moving rapidly. One western firm expects to increase sales of this material by about 2 5 % . Normal superphosphate, being steadily replaced by triple, showed a nearly 6% increase last year, may come near to equaling that figure. Among mixed fertilizers, high analysis grades are consistently popular. In fact, demand for them may cause a phosphate shortage in some localities.
If the weather clears, and stays that way to offset a late season, here's the expected rise in tonnage for fertilizer materials:
Anhydrous ammonia Aqua ammonia Ammonium nitrate Ammonium sulfate Urea Normal superphosphate Triple superphosphate Potash (potassium chloride) *USDA ** C & E N estimates *** Includes nonfertilizer uses
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1960
Year Ending* Year Ending** June 30,1959 June 30, 1960 1000 Tons 676 744 448 515 1273***
557 107 531 408 407
1400
585 127 558 440 435
Nuclear Fuels Firm Formed in Italy Mallinckrodt and Montecatini join with two other backers to form Italaton Italaton, a new producer of nuclear fuel materials, was formed in Italy last week by Mallinckrodt Chemical Works jointly with Montecatini, Engelhard Industries, and Anglo-American Corp. of South Africa. There are no immediate plans for a plant. Rather, says a spokesman, a "working force" will survey the market, pick up orders, and try to gage what will be needed in the way of a plant. Capital for a plant has been guaranteed by the backers of Italaton if money isn't available from normal commercial sources. Montecatini owns 50% of the new company; the other three founders each own 16% Montecatini will manage Italaton and will pick the top officials under "policies established by the board of directors." All four participating companies are represented on the board. Among the first products to be marketed by Italaton will probably be uranium oxide pellets. But plans call for marketing uranium metal, plus natural, depleted, and enriched uranium and thorium compounds. Marketing area includes Italy and other countries both in and out of the Euratom community. Mallinckrodt Know-how. Technical know-how for Italaton comes from Mallinckrodt. According to Joseph Fistere, Mallinckrodt president, Mallinckrodt will license production of uranium metal and uranium compounds from ore concentrates, fabrication of ceramic shapes from uranium dioxide, and blending of natural and enriched uranium compounds. Also from Mallinckrodt will come engineering drawings, equipment specifications, and processing data. Mallinckrodt says it will send technical people to Italy if necessary to help get Italaton started, and Italaton may be sending personnel to Mallinckrodt's St. Louis, Mo., headquarters. When it becomes economic to do so, Italaton has an option to acquire from Mallinckrodt, on a royalty basis, know-how on processing of such things as UF6 to oxide and metal.
