Who buys sulphur in Brazil?

Phosphate fertiliser producers with sulphur-burning acid plants at Uberaba, Araxá, Cubatão, Catalão and Paulínia, which make single superphosphate and phosphoric acid for the soy, corn and sugarcane belts. A handful of companies take almost all of the 2.3 million t, so a supplier is selling to a named plant, not to a spot market.

Why did imports halve in 2026?

Price and availability together. Two-fifths of 2025 supply loaded inside the Gulf; the average import value rose from USD 217 to USD 609 per tonne FOB and passed USD 1,000 in mid-year, and at that cost producers idled superphosphate lines instead of buying. Port prices began to ease in September but stayed near USD 1,000.

Which origins can replace Gulf sulphur?

The US Gulf first: it already supplied a quarter of Brazil's sulphur and the freight is about a fifth of the Middle East rate. Canada through Vancouver supplied 5% in 2025. The Saudi Red Sea ports are outside the strait, and a lifting there is confirmed with the terminal at the time of fixing. Each offer names the producer and the load port.

What parcel size and port are workable?

Supramax lots of 30,000 to 40,000 t into Santos, which handled 91% of 2025 imports and has the rail link to the plants of the interior. Smaller lots can go to Paranaguá or Salvador. Draft on the laycan and the discharge rate at the terminal are written into the offer.

Can CBIL also fix the ship?

Yes. Our chartering desk, LaycanDesk, prices Supramax tonnage from the US Gulf and Vancouver to Santos, so a CFR and an FOB figure can be shown side by side.

Americas · Brazil

Granular Sulphur Suppliers CFR Santos, Brazil

Sulphur for the phosphate plants of São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Goiás, nine-tenths of it through one port

Brazil declared 2,320,000 t of sulphur imports in 2025 at USD 647 million, about USD 279 per tonne, after 2,389,300 t in 2024. The United States supplied 24%, Saudi Arabia 16%, the UAE 13%, Qatar 11%, Canada 5% and Kuwait 2%, so 41% loaded inside the Gulf. The Strait of Hormuz has been severely restricted since 28 February 2026: loadings inside the Gulf move irregularly and are confirmed cargo by cargo. About 2.11 million t of the 2025 total, 91%, discharged at Santos, with occasional cargoes at Paranaguá, Salvador and Rio de Janeiro; Porto do Açu took its first sulphur cargo in September 2026. The buyers burn it to sulphuric acid for single superphosphate and phosphoric acid: the large burners are at Uberaba and Araxá in Minas Gerais, Cubatão and Paulínia in São Paulo, and Catalão in Goiás, each of 500 to 2,450 t of acid a day per line. In January to August 2026 imports were 829,600 t against 1.67 million t a year earlier, at an average declared value of USD 609 per tonne FOB against USD 217, and above USD 1,000 for three months running; the largest phosphate producer idled superphosphate lines from April and announced further curtailments in July. Third-quarter contract values were USD 1,155-1,160 per tonne delivered and spot was USD 980-985 at the start of October.

Sulphur for Brazil arrives in Supramax parcels of 30,000 to 40,000 t, discharged by grab at the Santos fertiliser terminals and railed or trucked to the acid plants. The US Gulf is the natural replacement origin, at freight of about USD 27-34 per tonne for a 35,000 to 40,000 t lot against USD 165 or more from the Middle East. CBIL brokers formed granular sulphur (99.8% min, 2-6 mm, friability at or under 5%) CFR Santos from the US Gulf formers and Vancouver, and from the Saudi Red Sea subject to confirmation of loading, with SGS or Intertek certification at load and the producing refinery or gas plant named on the certificate of origin. A producer that states its tonnage, discharge terminal, laycan and LC-opening bank gets a firm answer; one without them gets a question first.

Need the ship as well? Our chartering desk prices salt and sulphur bulk freight on LaycanDesk.

The market in figures

Declared imports: 2025: 2,320,000 t, USD 647 million, USD 279/t · 2024: 2,389,300 t
Origins, 2025: United States 24% · Saudi Arabia 16% · UAE 13% · Qatar 11% · Canada 5% · Kuwait 2%
Share from inside the Gulf: 41% (about 79,000 t a month to replace)
January-August 2026: 829,600 t (1.67 Mt a year earlier) at USD 609/t FOB (USD 217)
2026 delivered values: Q3 contract USD 1,155-1,160/t · spot USD 980-985/t on 1 October
Discharge: Santos (91% of 2025 imports) · Paranaguá, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, Porto do Açu

Landed values are the importing country's declared CIF, not CBIL prices.

Questions buyers ask

Who buys sulphur in Brazil?: Phosphate fertiliser producers with sulphur-burning acid plants at Uberaba, Araxá, Cubatão, Catalão and Paulínia, which make single superphosphate and phosphoric acid for the soy, corn and sugarcane belts. A handful of companies take almost all of the 2.3 million t, so a supplier is selling to a named plant, not to a spot market.
Why did imports halve in 2026?: Price and availability together. Two-fifths of 2025 supply loaded inside the Gulf; the average import value rose from USD 217 to USD 609 per tonne FOB and passed USD 1,000 in mid-year, and at that cost producers idled superphosphate lines instead of buying. Port prices began to ease in September but stayed near USD 1,000.
Which origins can replace Gulf sulphur?: The US Gulf first: it already supplied a quarter of Brazil's sulphur and the freight is about a fifth of the Middle East rate. Canada through Vancouver supplied 5% in 2025. The Saudi Red Sea ports are outside the strait, and a lifting there is confirmed with the terminal at the time of fixing. Each offer names the producer and the load port.
What parcel size and port are workable?: Supramax lots of 30,000 to 40,000 t into Santos, which handled 91% of 2025 imports and has the rail link to the plants of the interior. Smaller lots can go to Paranaguá or Salvador. Draft on the laycan and the discharge rate at the terminal are written into the offer.
Can CBIL also fix the ship?: Yes. Our chartering desk, LaycanDesk, prices Supramax tonnage from the US Gulf and Vancouver to Santos, so a CFR and an FOB figure can be shown side by side.