According to a new study, The Market of Ammonium-Calcium Nitrate, by the British consulting agency Merchant Research & Consulting Ltd., the European market of ammonium-calcium nitrate will be rapidly developing and one of the largest in the coming years.
Western Europe is the largest consumer of ammonium nitrate, including high density (above 33% N), although its use in agriculture in several European countries, such as in Belgium, Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands, is prohibited. In these countries, lime-ammonium nitrate (27% N) is used.
Despite this, calcium ammonium nitrate is the main form of nitrogen fertilizer in Europe. In Europe, more than 25-26% N is used in the form of calcium ammonium nitrate.
In total, the share of European countries is 84.7% of the ACS produced in the world. The countries of the European Union account for 79.7%, in 2006 – 77.5%.
However, agency experts point out that recently a number of countries have banned or suspended the import of ammonium nitrate into their territory. Now, besides China, the Philippines and Brazil joined them. Given the difficulties with the sale of ammonium nitrate, it is necessary to look for new ways to sell this product, experts say Merchant Research & Consulting Ltd. One of such ways is the processing of ammonium nitrate into calcium ammonium nitrate, which is in demand on the world market.
Ammonium nitrate (one of the three types of nitrogen fertilizers) is an explosive substance, and this is the main argument for stopping its import.
At the same time, in the last few years, the production of ammonium nitrate began to expand (especially in the countries of Eastern Europe, Ukraine, Russia), although the volume of production of this nitrogen fertilizer in the whole world still remains significantly below the level of 1989-1990.
A significant impact on the ammonium nitrate market in Eastern Europe and the CIS countries is exerted by the anti-dumping investigations of the European Union and the United States regarding its supplies.
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