(Dave Bedard photo)

Agrium’s Vanscoy potash operations suspended

Reuters — Agrium’s operations at its Vanscoy potash mine in Saskatchewan could be halted for days, a union official said on Tuesday, the day after a worker was injured. An Agrium spokesman said in a statement that the company was working on a plan to restart the facility and did not expect any “material disruption.”

Mosaic’s potash facility at Esterhazy, Sask. (Greg Berg photo)

Mosaic CEO sees opportunities to buy miners’ fertilizer assets

Reuters — Miners that produce a diverse commodity mix may be willing to part with fertilizer assets, creating buying opportunities for producers of potash and phosphate, Mosaic Co. CEO Joc O’Rourke said Tuesday. Profits of fertilizer producers have tumbled because of falling prices, weak currencies in importing countries such as Brazil and excessive supplies. Mosaic,


(Dave Bedard photo)

Mosaic idles Saskatchewan potash mine

Reuters — Fertilizer producer Mosaic Co. has idled production at its Colonsay, Sask. potash mine for the rest of 2016, and temporarily laid off 330 workers, the company said in a statement Wednesday. Potash prices are hovering around the lowest levels seen in a decade, amid excessive output capacity and delays in setting annual supply

(Photo courtesy Agrium)

Uralkali shareholder wants to restore potash alliance

Minsk | Reuters — The Belarussian businessman who last week acquired a 20 per cent stake in Russian potash producer Uralkali said on Monday it would be in everyone’s interest to restore an alliance between Uralkali and Belarus, the world’s two biggest potash miners. Uralkali and the Belarussian Potash Co. (BPC) used to co-operate with


(CPR.ca)

CP offers assurances for 2016-17 grain handle

Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) says it’s ready and willing to move a bumper Prairie crop in 2016-17. “Operationally, CP is eager and prepared to move grain this coming crop year,” company CEO Hunter Harrison said in a letter to federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau. The letter, dated Tuesday, was also circulated to Prairie transportation and

(Canpotex.com)

Canpotex shelves plans for Prince Rupert terminal

Reuters — Canpotex, the potash export sales arm for PotashCorp, Mosaic Co. and Agrium, said Friday it would not build a planned shipping terminal at Prince Rupert in British Columbia. Canpotex said the decision was based on economic and commercial considerations and that its export capacity in Vancouver, Saint John and Portland were sufficient. PotashCorp


(Photo courtesy Agrium)

N.B. to assess unwanted potash deposit

A potash deposit from which one of the world’s biggest fertilizer companies recently walked away will be the subject of a provincial review for its future potential. The New Brunswick government announced May 11 it will soon finalize a contract to hire a third-party consultant to assess the remaining potash resource, if any, in the

(Dave Bedard photo)

Fertilizer prices look to rise by late summer

CNS Canada — A rise in prices for soybeans and other crops could make fertilizer more expensive in the coming months, according to a major player in the industry. In the May market report from the Mosaic Co., the company credited the rally in agricultural commodity prices, the strengthening of key currencies and various Indian



(Karnalyte.com)

India backstops first phase of Sask. potash mine

Winnipeg | Reuters — India’s Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals has agreed to guarantee payments on US$700 million in debt to finance the first phase of Karnalyte Resources’ Saskatchewan potash mine project, Karnalyte said Monday, adding supply even as other miners cut production. Under the deal, a subsidiary of State Bank of India and other