# 2016: A tough year for urea producers, but China's influence on the market has waned

> Urea export prices fell about 27-28% in 2016 at most major export points, with Middle East granular averaging $206/t fob. Chinese urea exports dropped from nearly 14m tonnes in 2015 to an estimated 8.5m tonnes this year, and Chinese prilled urea lost its position as India's main supplier.

- Date: 2016-12-22 · published 2016-12-22T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: trade · region Global · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/73416-2016-a-tough-year-for-urea-producers-but-china-s-influence-on-the-market-has
- Commodities: [Urea](https://feedsoft.ai/c/UREA.md)

## Why it matters

Lower Chinese export volumes have been partly offset by new output from Egypt, Algeria, Iran, the US and the FSU. Analysts expect Chinese production costs to ease in Q2 2017 and see a possible Chinese shortfall in spring, which could support urea prices.

## Read by commodity

- UREA: neutral

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| UREA | 2020-10-02 | [Nitrogen Index holds steady as urea market is poised for India’s return](https://feedsoft.ai/events/50943-nitrogen-index-holds-steady-as-urea-market-is-poised-for-india-s-return.md) | +0.9% | +0.1% |
| UREA | 2024-12-02 | [China Could Provide Urea Price Support in Q1’25 \| CZ app](https://feedsoft.ai/events/26890-china-could-provide-urea-price-support-in-q1-25-cz-app.md) | +1.1% | +8.5% |
| UREA | 2020-06-24 | [Urea: Indian tender offers set to test Chinese export interest](https://feedsoft.ai/events/52915-urea-indian-tender-offers-set-to-test-chinese-export-interest.md) | +2.5% | +6.6% |
| UREA | 2024-06-25 | [Export Situation of Major Fertilizers in China in May.](https://feedsoft.ai/events/30106-export-situation-of-major-fertilizers-in-china-in-may.md) | -2.6% | -1.0% |
| UREA | 2025-10-13 | [Global Urea Market Steady as India and Brazil Drive Q4 Demand](https://feedsoft.ai/events/22726-global-urea-market-steady-as-india-and-brazil-drive-q4-demand.md) | -0.5% | +2.8% |

## Sources

- profercy.com: https://www.profercy.com/insights/2016-a-tough-year-for-urea-producers-but-chinas-influence-on-the-market-has-waned

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.