- Urea prices moved upward globally in Q1’26 as supply chains tightened and trade flows were disrupted, especially after the Strait of Hormuz crisis.
- Feedstock pressure increased because natural gas costs rose and transport became more expensive, which pushed production and landed costs higher.
- Downstream demand stayed firm in Asia due to spring planting and stockpiling, while buyers in other regions stayed cautious because of high input costs.
Asia
Urea prices in Asia followed a firm upward trend during Q1’26. In China, prices were about RMB 1.72/kg (Spot FD) in January and around RMB 1.86/kg in March, showing an increase of about 8.16% from January to March. The rise came from stronger downstream demand, stockpiling before Spring Festival, Indian tender activity, and active agricultural demand during spring planting. In March, geopolitical conflict in the Middle East strengthened the international urea market and supported domestic sentiment.
Trade disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz tightened regional supply, and China’s export quota controls removed a major relief source for Asia. India also faced strain because it uses nearly 40 million tonnes of urea annually, while its supply chain depends heavily on Gulf-linked imports and gas. Government dat a showed India had about 6.2 million tonnes of urea stocks in mid-March, which supported near-term supply but did not remove concerns about later-season availability.
Europe
In Europe, urea prices remained firm because disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz tightened fertilizer and gas flows. Around one third of global seaborne fertilizer volumes pass through the Strait, so reduced shipping availability increased freight, insurance, and replacement costs, which led to higher urea prices. European buyers also had to compete for limited cargoes as Gulf-linked exports became harder to secure. Demand stayed moderate, but the rise in import and production costs kept the market supported.
North America
In North America, urea prices also strengthened because global nitrogen supply became tighter and transport costs increased. The market was affected by the same shipping and energy disruption that lifted prices in Asia and Europe. Demand from agriculture remained steady, but buyers stayed cautious as high fertilizer costs raised affordability concerns. Global supply tightness and higher logistics costs kept upward pressure on the market.