Since October, coal prices in Shanxi have been soaring. The price of anthracite lump coal has exceeded 3,100 yuan (ton price, the same below), and the highest transaction price reached 3,300 yuan, the highest level in history. Affected by this, fertilizer companies face losses of 500 to 900 yuan for every ton of urea produced. Shanxi fertilizer companies “lied in the coal nest but couldn’t use coal” and had to stop production and cut production to stop losses. Right now is the critical stage of spring plowing and fertilizer preparation next year, and Shanxi fertilizer companies are calling for stabilizing coal prices and guaranteeing spring plowing.
The person in charge of a number of fertilizer companies in Jincheng, Shanxi, told reporters that under normal circumstances, the price of coal for chemical industry is 700-1300 yuan (Shenmu bituminous coal and anthracite). From January to April this year, the price of anthracite lump coal was stable, fluctuating around 1,100 yuan per ton; on May 13, the price of coal rose sharply for the first time, with an increase of about 200 yuan; from June to September the price of anthracite lump coal continued The price of raw coal continued to rise until October, and the current average price of anthracite lump coal is 3050~3100 yuan, the highest even exceeding 3300 yuan, the highest level ever.
According to the person in charge of the Jincheng Chemical Industry Association, high coal prices have caused fertilizer companies to face losses. At present, the average market price of urea is 2,950 yuan, an increase of 85% over last year, and the price has also broken through historical highs. However, due to higher coal prices, urea companies that use traditional fixed-bed gasification technology cost 3,500 to 3,700 yuan per ton of urea. Among them, companies that are far away from the raw coal producing areas and have production control deviations have a full cost of nearly 3,800 yuan. Such urea companies A loss of 500 to 900 yuan per ton of urea produced. Urea companies using new coal gasification technology cost nearly 2,000 yuan for raw coal, and in some places, the price reaches 2,330 yuan. The full cost of urea is nearly 3,000 yuan, and it has also suffered losses. According to the reporter’s understanding, the annual output of Fengxi Group’s fixed-bed process urea is 400,000 tons, and the current loss is more than 800 yuan per ton, with a daily loss of more than one million yuan.
Along with soaring coal prices, there is also a tight supply. According to the reporter’s understanding, the current shortage of coal in key fertilizer enterprises in Shanxi is serious, and the coal stocks used for production have been less than 10 days.
On the one hand, costs are upside-down, and on the other hand, raw materials are insufficient. In this case, many fertilizer companies in Shanxi have to suspend production and reduce production. According to the analysis of Jincheng Chemical Industry Association, in the current situation of soaring coal prices and tight supply, many fixed-bed companies have stopped for maintenance, new coal gasification technology companies will also reduce production, and corporate urea inventories will further decline. It is estimated that the national social urea inventory will not exceed 2 million tons in the spring plowing season next year, and the use of fertilizer for spring plowing may be affected.
Winter is the golden season for coal chemical production, and it is also the spring plowing preparation next year.The key stage of fertilizer. The heavy rains that have just passed have had a huge impact on Shanxi’s production and life, and the high coal prices have made fertilizer companies even worse. For this reason, many fertilizer companies in Shanxi have issued an appeal: I hope this phenomenon of “could not be able to use coal while lying in the coal nest” will end as soon as possible. Otherwise, superimposed on the policy factors such as the increase in electricity prices and the curtailment of power consumption and the “dual control” of energy consumption, fertilizer companies may be forced to further reduce or suspend production, which will lead to more stress on the use of fertilizer for spring farming next year. The relevant departments are urged to consider guaranteeing the production capacity of chemical fertilizers, and at the same time implement staggered production for large energy users, and adjust measures to the current conditions in terms of monthly energy consumption and emissions, so as to ensure the normal production of enterprises and ensure the agricultural and emergency needs.
(Original title, “One ton of urea loses 500-900 yuan! Shanxi fertilizer companies “lie in the coal nest but can’t use coal”)