OREANDA-NEWS. September 25, 2007. Belarusian Potash Company (BPC), a leading world potash supplier and the sole exporter of potash fertilizers produced by RUE PA Belaruskali (Soligorsk, Belarus) and JSC Uralkali (Berezniki, Russia), has announced a USD 40 price increase for potash shipped to Brazil starting on November 1, which results in a price of USD 345 per ton for large scale importers and 355 per ton for smaller ones.
Earlier in August, the company increased the prices for the Brazilian customers by USD 25 per ton for October shipments. However, negotiations with Brazilian buyers later in the month resulted in a number of contracts at a revised price that will take effect before the initially set dates.

Brazil is one of the fastest-growing markets worldwide. According to the International Fertilizer Association, MOP import volumes to the region have risen by 58% in the first half of 2007. Supplies to Brazil make up to 20% of the company’s exports, which makes the Brazilian market a strategic one for BPC. In January-August 2007, Belarusian Potash Company’s sales to Brazil increased by 37,6% as compared to the same period in 2006.

Vladimir Nikolaenko, BPC’s Director General:
"The already strong demand for potash fertilizers has been escalated by the growth in biofuels production as well as the high prices for grain. At the moment, Brazil’s market is one of the fastest-developing ones with growing agricultural acreage and escalating crop production. On top of that, Brazil is among the world’s leading producers of ethanol. The sum total of these factors stipulates lack of the product in the market and, consequently, results in potash price escalations".